Happy Birthday, Land and Water Conservation Fund: Celebrating 60 Years! 

Did you know that one of the most critical conservation programs in the U.S. is celebrating its 60th anniversary? The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was created on September 3, 1964, to protect America’s natural, historic, cultural, and outdoor treasures. From essential watersheds and open spaces to parks and trails, this program ensures we have access to beautiful outdoor spaces across the country. 

The LWCF helps conserve natural areas, wildlife habitats, and open spaces—everything from small urban parks to iconic national parks. But beyond providing us with beautiful places to explore, the LWCF is critical in addressing some of today’s biggest environmental challenges, like climate change and biodiversity loss. By preserving green spaces and wetlands, improving urban parks, and enhancing outdoor infrastructure, the LWCF helps make cities and communities more resilient to climate impacts, such as heat waves, droughts, and floods. Importantly, the LWCF also supports disadvantaged communities by helping create parks and natural areas with features like green canopies and water elements, ensuring more equitable access to nature.

During this milestone, we reflect on past projects we have completed with Land and Water Conservation Fund funds that highlight our commitment to preserving America’s natural and cultural treasures. At Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, we worked with the National Park Service to secure a critical property acquisition in early 2020. When the landowner sought a quick sale in 2019, NPS couldn’t meet the owner’s deadline, so we stepped in to fund the pre-sale process, allowing NPS to complete the purchase just in time. This acquisition helps protect the park’s stunning volcanic landscapes, diverse plant life, and rich wildlife, ensuring visitors can continue to enjoy Lassen’s unique natural beauty for generations to come.

Also in 2020, the National Park Service reached out to us for help acquiring a 44.58-acre parcel of land to expand San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. By adding this land, we’ve helped preserve the historic agricultural fields and the San Juan Acequia, vital elements of the missions’ cultural landscape that sustained the Spanish Colonial community. This project ensures that the park’s rich history and heritage will continue to be protected, increasing accessibility to the public and maintaining greenspace in a developing urban area.

As we celebrate 60 years of success, there’s never been a better time to invest in the future of our parks, wildlife, and communities. We are excited to continue our mission to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow. Learn more about our other land projects here.