|
Like millions of Americans, public lands are important to my health and wellbeing. From national parks and monuments, to national wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and seashores, these lands provide so much to so many. |
|
|
Public lands have social and health benefits, providing spaces to spend time in nature — which has been proven to improve both physical and mental health — and participate in activities like hiking, biking, camping, hunting, fishing, foraging, skiing, and sightseeing. Public lands also provide boosts to local economies, as visitors patronize nearby small businesses. |
|
|
Despite the overwhelming support for national public lands, attempts to sell them off to corporate entities are gaining momentum. Trump and his Republican allies are proposing to sell our public lands to private interests and corporate polluters — a potential loss of hundreds of millions of acres of lands that we use to hike, fish, hunt, camp, and conserve. |
|
|
National public lands are lands owned and managed by the federal government for the people. Spanning approximately 640 million acres, they safeguard important historical and cultural sites, provide spaces for outdoor recreation, and sustain our clean water resources. And all the while, they are generating $45 billion in economic output and nearly 400,000 jobs. |
|
|
Friend, we need to stop Trump and Republicans from selling off our public lands to the highest bidder. Losing millions of acres in public land would be detrimental to our health, wildlife, and local economies. |
|
|
America Fitzpatrick
Conservation Program Director
League of Conservation Voters |
|
|
|
|
