The Trump administration is moving to divert funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to cover maintenance costs on federal lands, bypassing Congress and potentially gutting decades of bipartisan conservation work.
Jonathan Thompson reports for High Country News.
In short:
- The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), long supported across party lines, uses offshore oil and gas revenues to expand and protect public lands, aiding thousands of projects nationwide over six decades.
- Trump and U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are working to reroute LWCF money away from conservation land purchases toward routine upkeep of federal properties, effectively undermining the program without formally defunding it.
- The broader Republican strategy includes freezing funding for public land protections, slashing agency budgets, and weakening environmental regulations, all while freeing funds to offset tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy.
Why this matters:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund has played a central role in preserving open space, wildlife corridors, and public access to nature for generations. Its success stems from a rare alignment of political will and public enthusiasm for protecting America’s outdoor heritage. Reallocating its funds to basic upkeep — without legislative approval — threatens not just new conservation opportunities, but the entire premise of public stewardship. As the climate shifts and development pressure grows, protected lands provide critical habitat, clean water, and places for people to breathe, explore, and connect.
Read more: Trump-era staff cuts strain Yosemite rangers as summer crowds surge
