Thank you for your excellent Tuesday editorial, “Keep our public lands public,” urging Congress to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). We at The Mountaineers consider LWCF to be one of our nation’s most important conservation programs. Losing this program would mean disinvesting in parks and public lands, and thus disinvesting in the ability of our children to experience the outdoors. Congress needs to act swiftly to reauthorize LWCF before it expires in September.
The Mountaineers, founded in 1906, is a nonprofit outdoor education, conservation and recreation organization whose mission is “to enrich the community by helping people explore, conserve, learn about and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.” Based in Seattle, we have more than 13,000 members and guests working to protect the outdoor experience for current and future generations.
LWCF has funded many projects that our membership enjoys, including close-in opportunities for nature, like the Mount Si Conservation Area, as well as wilderness- based projects, both very important to our human-based recreation community. If LWCF is not reauthorized in essentially its current form, critical lands and outdoor recreation sites all across the country will be at risk.
Protecting special places in the Pacific Northwest is imperative to the future of conservation and growing the outdoor recreation economy. The Mountaineers and our partner organizations appreciate Sen. Maria Cantwell’s leadership as she works to ensure LWCF is reauthorized and maintained.
Martinique Grigg
Executive Director, The Mountaineers
Seattle
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