It’s been an eventful few months for The Conservation Alliance and the conservation community as a whole. While there have been some concerning developments about our public lands and waters coming from Washington D.C., we have remained steadfast in our commitment to protecting outdoor spaces. TCA has welcomed a variety of new businesses to our network, we’ve moved forward with funding for exciting new projects, and we’re collaborating with partners to advance some proactive conservation policies.
We’ve been working our channels to stay up-to-date about the actions and decisions coming from the administration about our public lands, and deploying the power of the business community to ensure public lands remain protected (read more about that below).
Just last month our team was in Washington D.C. for our annual fly-in. I’m happy to report that we had very productive meetings with over 55 Congressional and Administrative offices. We continued to deliver our message that the protection of public lands and waters is critical for the existence of the outdoor recreation economy, and discuss our priority campaigns with decision makers. We are continuing to build power in D.C., thanks to many of you who have engaged with elected officials over the past bit.
Policy Updates
- National Monuments – After a Secretarial Order signed in February directing a review of National Monuments, and leaked information indicating that six National Monuments could be rescinded, we remain concerned about the fate of America’s National Monuments. As of now, no official actions have been taken to rescind any National Monuments, but we are proactively voicing our community’s support for these landscapes with key decision makers and ready to respond and take action if and when National Monument rescissions happen.
- Budget reconciliation – Last month, the House passed their version of the reconciliation bill after removing the Amodei amendment in the final hours of negotiation. This amendment included the sale of approximately 500,000 acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah and would set a harmful precedent, and we were relieved to see it stripped out of the bill. For now, we have avoided what would have been a devastating blow for public lands. But the work isn’t done. Several provisions remained in the version of the bill that is now moving its way over to the Senate, including changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that reduce opportunities for public input and environmental review for development projects, and removal of protections for key landscapes like the Boundary Waters, among other things.
- Streamlined permitting – In April, the Department of the Interior announced actions to accelerate the permitting of energy projects to address the National Energy Emergency declared by President Trump. This will result in an alternative process for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), shortening environmental review processes to approximately 28 days, with comment periods reduced to approximately 10 days, as well as expedited processes for Endangered Species Act consultation and National Historic Preservation Act compliance. The Conservation Alliance and our member companies are deeply discouraged by this announcement and we will continue to monitor the implementation of these new directives.
Announcing our 2025 Confluence Advisory Committee
Lexi Dutnall – Community Impact Specialist, Arc’teryx
Reet Singh – Co-Founder, TripOutside
Mardi Fuller – Board Member, Appalachian Mountain Club
Forrest King-Cortes – Director of Community-Centered Conservation, The Land Trust Alliance
Amelia Vigil – Youth Access to Nature Grantmaking & Program Manager, Justice Outside
David Taft – Foundations Manager, Grand Canyon Trust
Chanda Callao – People of Red Mountain – Nevada
Celebrating Victories: Two Recent TCA Grantee Successes
White Rocks Gateway Conservation – In March 2025, the Trust for Public Land successfully conserved 468 acres at the entrance to Vermont’s Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area. This newly protected land features dramatic quartzite cliffs, biodiverse forests, and popular trails like the Ice Beds Trail, which connects to the Appalachian and Long Trails. The acquisition enhances wildlife corridors and expands recreational access within the Green Mountain National Forest.
Elk River Cultural and Ecological Restoration – In March 2025, CalTrout, in partnership with the California State Coastal Conservancy, acquired 175 acres along the Elk River in Humboldt County. This acquisition includes four former ranch land parcels along the largest tributary to Humboldt Bay. Three parcels will be transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Elk River Wildlife Area for ecological restoration, while a fourth has been returned to the Wiyot Tribe, who have deep cultural and historic connections to this land.
Cottonwood Ranch Acquisition – In January 2025, Oregon Desert Land Trust (ODLT) successfully added 40 acres to its 16,645-acre Trout Creek Ranch effort. This addition will help consolidate the organization’s ownership of nearly 3,000 acres of wet meadows that provide critical habitat for numerous migratory birds. The 40-acre Cottonwood Ranch property also provides habitat for pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and a variety of other wildlife. Located at the lower reaches of Trout Creek, this acquisition provides important connectivity to other public lands.
ICYMI: Brands for Public Lands
TCA recently announced our new coalition, Brands for Public Lands. Brands for Public Lands is strategically focused on building a collective defense against the significant, current threats to our public lands system.
This coalition currently comprises over 100 companies headquartered in 23 states representing varying industries and interests – from outdoor apparel and gear, to media, retailers, and tourism. Collectively, the group represents over 60,000 employees and over $18 billion in revenue.
Each company has committed to actions such as elevating any specific issues to their customers, leveraging their brand names to influence policymakers, participating in direct lobbying efforts, or supporting broader storytelling and communications initiatives.
