#OptOutside and speak up to protect your favorite outdoor places

As the #OptOutside movement continues to grow, it’s a fitting moment to recognize the wild places that make our adventures possible.

While the 640 million-acre U.S. public lands system has no limit to the way it tests our grit, the reality is this unique arrangement is fragile and in need of constant champions to boost policies that keep the system accessible, safe and well-maintained. The outdoor places we enjoy and escape to don’t happen by accident, and exist thanks to a great deal of conservation work and important public policies.

As many of us #OptOutside this Black Friday and beyond, we’re likely to do so in a place that’s benefited from America's most important program for protecting parks, trails and outdoor access: the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or LWCF. LWCF has worked well for more than 50 years, providing diverse outdoor recreation opportunities for people across the nation--from local ballfields to iconic places like the Grand Tetons or Joshua Tree National Park. It is popular across political lines and has invested in projects in all 50 states and in nearly every county in the U.S. without using taxpayer money. If you ever spend time in nature, it is very likely you have enjoyed a park or recreational spot that was paid for by LWCF. 

Unfortunately, this program is currently on life-support. Congress allowed its authorization to lapse in September, and there is no clear plan for how to revive it. It’s crucial that lawmakers work together to renew and permanently fund LWCF.

Act now: Ask Congress to #SaveLWCF

In addition to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, important policies and funding levels ensure our favorite outdoor places are well maintained and accessible. In the few remaining days of this Congress, our public lands should be atop their priority list for action, including:

• The National Park Service is currently carrying a $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog, meaning many park facilities are in disrepair. Our public lands have similar backlogs that affect outdoor recreation. Congress needs to ensure that the agencies that manage public lands have the increased (and stable) funding required to properly care for these places.
• While outdoor recreation is a bigger deal than ever in economic terms, many barriers still prevent people from enjoying it, including policies that make it too complicated for guides and other outdoor leaders to obtain the necessary permits to take people out on public lands. We need reforms to make that process simpler.

Right now, American parks and public lands need political leadership at the local and national levels to renew and fully fund LWCF and address these other issues. Keep them in mind when you #OptOutside and enjoy the outdoors this week and beyond. 

Check out our map of places protected by LWCF, including plenty of places to #OptOutside near you.

Explore LWCF projects near you

TIPS ON HOW TO USE THE MAP BELOW:

• Enter your zip code at top left to see projects near you. National projects are pin drops (approximate location).
• To view state matching grant projects, click a county.
• Data available in "show related records" (Data thru 2014) (Note: Map works best in IE, Safari, iOS)