On May 6th an initial report was released on the Administration’s vision for what has been previously called 30×30. Renamed the America the Beautiful Initiative, the report outlines principles to achieve conservation of thirty percent of our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030. A news release on the report can be found here and the full report here.
While light on specifics, there are a lot of things that Partnerscapes can relate to including a recognition that much great conservation work is currently ongoing, stressing the importance of “tried-and-true” approaches with increased flexibility, and emphasizing the importance of voluntary conservation throughout.
The report also recognizes the critical nature of working landscapes including both private and tribal lands as well as the key role of locally-led, locally-designed approaches as the basis of conservation success.
If the Federal agencies seek to implement the vision outlined in the report, the future of local, collaborative, landowner-led conservation of working landscapes is bright and should see much broader emphasis and support at a national-level going forward. Partnerscapes has learned that the only lasting conservation is local while also incorporating the social and economic sustainability, as well as the ecological aspects, of working landscapes. We are always ready to help however we can when lasting positive results for all three “legs of the stool” are the goal.
