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The goal is to protect 30 percent of America's lands and oceans by 2030 (30x30). The national 30x30 goal has been championed in Congress by Senator Tom Udall and Congresswoman Deb Haaland. Only about 12 percent of America's lands and a quarter of its oceans are currently protected.
The 30x30 goal is in response to warnings from hundreds of leading scientists that nature across the world is collapsing and that this rapid loss of natural space is resulting in a mass extinction, exacerbated by climate change. Here in the U.S. it is estimated that about a football field worth of natural area is converted to human development every 30 seconds. In the face of this crisis, scientists stated that the 30x30 goal is necessary to prevent the unraveling of fundamental natural systems.
And the goal is gaining momentum. Presidential nominee Joe Biden's platform includes a commitment to the 30x30 goal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also included the 30x30 goal in a House climate package released ahead of the election.
States across the country have also shown support, most recently when California Governor Newsom signed an executive 30x30 order earlier this month. Support extends far beyond the political sphere: conservation groups have rallied behind the goal, and earlier this week a group of 13 major hunting and fishing groups rolled out a community statement in support of 30x30.
In order to achieve the 30x30 goal, America will need to find diverse and innovative ways to protect landscapes that support local communities and preserve the land's specific values. The Center for Western Priorities is producing a series of interactive storymaps showing key ways to get to 30x30. The storymaps include varied topics such as Tribal Land Management, National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Corridors, and National Parks, among many others.
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Protection of America's lands and waters is something that should be important to every sportsperson. It is also critical that regulated hunting and fishing be allowed to continue where appropriate."
