52 Weeks to #SaveLWCF: Week 1 is Washington State!

Did you know that the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is in danger of expiring?

For 52 years, LWCF has protected national parks and open spaces in every corner of the United States. But in less than 52 weeks, it will expire—unless Congress acts to save it.

Here at the Coalition, each one of us has incredible memories of hikes, paddles, camping trips, and more at LWCF sites across the state—and nation. For Program Assistant Betsy, one of those is trail running on the Skagit Wildlife Area with her mom. For Communications and Marketing Coordinator Danica, camping trips at Mount Rainier National Park are some of her fondest memories. What memories have YOU created on LWCF lands? Why do you want to #SaveLWCF? We need your support in telling Congress why this program—and these lands—matter.

The time to act is now—and luckily, our partners at the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition have provided us with the following sample posts and talking points to help get you started. At the bottom of the post, please find a few sample images as well.

Find LWCF projects near you with this mapping tool from The Wilderness Society or on this WA-specific handout from the LWCF Coalition.

The campaign to #SaveLWCF begins October 5, 2017. Please spread this message far and wide!

LWCF Talking Points

LWCF is America’s most important tool for meeting communities’ conservation and recreation needs, from iconic national parks and wildlife refuges, to sacred battlefields and historic sites, to working forests and critical habitat, to neighborhood playgrounds and recreation facilities.

LWCF does all this without using any taxpayer dollars— it is funded with revenues paid to the government from offshore oil and gas drilling. This is a critical investment not only in our quality of life, but in American jobs. Outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities contribute more than a trillion dollars annually to the U.S. economy, supporting 9.4 million jobs.

LWCF has always been a bipartisan vision, and as a result we now have the most extensive network of open spaces in the world to camp, hunt, fish, hike, swim, and play. Our nation’s unique history and culture are available for our children and grandchildren to experience and enjoy. But there is much history still to preserve and our public lands remain unfinished, vulnerable to loss and development that block access and ruin the visitor experience.

Unlike many issues in Congress, LWCF brings people together and enjoys strong bipartisan support. Using offshore energy revenues to provide more access to public lands is something the vast majority of Americans want. Lack of access is the number one reason hunters stop hunting. Trails remain unconnected. Forests as well as historic battlefields are being lost to suburban sprawl at an alarming rate. LWCF investments made every year in every part of the country are the answer to these issues, but they require certainty and consistency. Securing permanent funding and reauthorization for LWCF is one sure way we can work together to get good things done for everyone across the country.

The LWCF Coalition has launched the #SaveLWCF initiative to highlight the successes on the 52nd year of LWCF in 52 places in states and territories over the next year. We are spotlighting conservation and recreation success stories, drawing attention to LWCF’s looming expiration, and growing public support for Congress to act before America’s most important conservation and recreation program expires on September 30, 2018.

October 5: campaign Kickoff

For 52 years, #LWCF has protected special places in every U.S. state and territory. But in 52 weeks, this vital conservation and recreation program could be lost forever. Congress needs to #SaveLWCF by reauthorizing this program and protect our outdoors for future generations. [photo with text overlay]

[Org name] insists that Congress #SaveLWCF to save our favorite places like [examples] that [org name] has worked tirelessly to protect to give recreational access to all Americans. The time to act is now! Reauthorize #LWCF and save the places we love.

Out west, we love our outdoors, to hunt, fish, swim, hike, and play! We at [org name] need Congress to #SaveLWCF to protect our western traditions. [text overlay image]

#LWCF has been critical to our nation’s city parks, we at [org name] ask Congress to #SaveLWCF to provide open spaces in our most densely populated areas. #Outdoors4All

Week one spotlight: washington state

Twitter
52 years of conservation success, 52 amazing places to highlight, 52 weeks to #SaveLWCF. Week 1: spotlight on WA!

From the Yakima River to Mt. Rainier, from the Gorge to the PCT, LWCF protects the places we love. 52 weeks to #SaveLWCF!

Facebook
For 52 years, #LWCF has protected special places across Washington. But in 52 weeks, this vital conservation and recreation program could be lost forever. Congress needs to #SaveLWCF by reauthorizing this program and protect our outdoors for future generations.

In Washington, outdoor recreation brings in over $26.2 billion each year and is vital to our communities’ well-being. We must #SaveLWCF to protect the places where we play outside.

LWCF has funded parks big and small across Washington state, including fishing sites along the Yakima River and the Pacific Crest Trail. Did we mention it doesn’t use any taxpayer dollars? #SaveLWCF to save our parks!

Sample Images