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** Honoring Earth Day Through Conservative Stewardship
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April 22, 2025

On this Earth Day, it’s worth remembering that the roots of environmental conservation run deep within the conservative tradition. Far from being a partisan issue, the call to protect our natural resources has long been a matter of principle for many leading conservatives—anchored in the belief that we have a moral duty to preserve the beauty and resources of the land we’ve been entrusted with.

William F. Buckley Jr., often considered the father of modern conservatism, was an avid sailor who understood the delicate balance of nature and believed deeply in the need for responsible stewardship. He once said, "We must preserve the air we breathe and the water we drink." For Buckley, conservatism meant conserving not only our institutions but also our natural heritage.

In his book, How to Think Seriously About the Planet: The Case for an Environmental Conservative, published in 2012, British philosopher Roger Scruton echoed this ethos, calling environmental protection “the most urgent conservative cause.” Scruton argued that love of home—oikophilia—compels us to care for the natural world, not out of abstract ideology, but out of affection, duty, and gratitude. In Scruton's views, the most enduring protection comes not through centralized power and overreaching federal mandates, but through decentralized local action.


In the U.S., conservative leadership helped lay the foundation for modern environmental protections. President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency and signed the Clean Air Act into law in 1970 and subsequently in 1973 the Endangered Species Act—landmark achievements that have safeguarded our environment for decades.

President Ronald Reagan, too, understood the value of conservation, famously saying in remarks at a dedication of the National Geographic Society's new headquarters in 1984, “What is a conservative after all but one who conserves?” He expanded the National Parks system and emphasized the importance of preserving our lands for generations of Americans to come.

Even Barry Goldwater, known for his rugged individualism and fight for limited government, was a fierce advocate for clean air and water, famously declared in 1970, "While I am a great believer in the free enterprise system and all that it entails, I am an even stronger believer in the right of a man to have clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, and clean soil to grow his food.”

More recently, President Donald Trump has affirmed that “every American wants clean air and clean water”—a truth that transcends politics and unites us all. While policy debates may vary, the fundamental desire to protect the land we love is shared across the political spectrum.

This Earth Day let’s remember that wise stewardship should not be a partisan issue—it’s a patriotic one. From our rivers and forests to our skies and seas, protecting the environment is a deeply conservative value rooted in responsibility, reverence, and love of country.



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