Author: Alexander (Alex) Bickers
Alex Bickers is a conservation professional and volunteer Content Creator & Program Assistant for Get Outdoors Arizona, where he helps research and create newsletter content, business spotlights, and stories that connect people to the outdoors. He also works as a Zookeeper on the Carnivore/Primate Team at Reid Park Zoological Society in Tucson, specializing in animal care and welfare. His background includes supervisory roles at animal sanctuaries and zoos, contributing to high standards of animal welfare and conservation. Alex is dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild lands.
In 1964, the U.S. Congress established a national program aimed at helping the American people by protecting our natural heritage, safeguarding natural resources, and providing outdoor recreation opportunities. Thus, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was born: a program that invests revenue from federal offshore energy development to protect land and water resources while expanding public access to them. In the decades since its creation, the LWCF has become widely recognized as one of the nation’s most successful conservation and recreation programs and a key contributor to the growth of outdoor recreation in the United States.
To ensure fair and diverse use of the fund, LWCF dollars are distributed in several ways. At the federal level, the program supports land acquisition by agencies including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service for outdoor recreation, conservation, and public access. The LWCF also provides critical funding for related federal programs. At the state level, the LWCF includes a grant program that distributes funds to states to support planning, land and water acquisition, and the development of outdoor recreation facilities that benefit local communities.
For much of its history, the LWCF relied on Congress to decide each year how much funding to provide, often receiving far less than its authorized amount. As demand for outdoor recreation opportunities has grown, so has the need for consistent and reliable funding. In response, the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) was signed into law in 2020, permanently authorizing full funding for the LWCF at up to $900 million annually using non-taxpayer dollars from offshore energy revenues. This funding supports the development of local parks, increased protection and access to federal public lands, and expanded outdoor recreation opportunities nationwide.
Over its 60-year history, the LWCF has played a central role in protecting wildlife habitat, expanding public access to land and water, and supporting outdoor recreation across the country. With the additional stability provided by GAOA, the program has helped create thousands of parks and recreation sites and supports an outdoor recreation industry that generates over $1 trillion annually and supports more than 5 million U.S. jobs, while increasing access to hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.
Unfortunately, over the past year, multiple proposals have emerged that would delay or divert LWCF funding. One major concern is Secretarial Order 3442, issued in September 2025. Conservation advocates warn that this order could limit how LWCF funds are used by deprioritizing projects on BLM and Forest Service lands, potentially halting current projects and preventing future ones. The order also requires approval from state governors and county officials for certain land acquisitions, introducing additional political hurdles that could block conservation efforts. Additionally, it allows states to use LWCF funds to purchase federally protected lands deemed “surplus,” raising concerns about public lands being sold off and setting a troubling precedent for the future.
The LWCF was created to benefit all Americans, and slowing its progress undermines that promise. We urge the federal government to uphold the original intent of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Great American Outdoors Act, and to stand with the American people by protecting our shared outdoor legacy.
Sources:
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"Land and Water Conservation Fund" - U.S. Department of the Interior. doi.gov
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Vincent, Carol Hardy. Land and Water Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and Issues. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.
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"BHA Calls For Reversal of Attack on Land and Water Conservation Fund" - Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. backcountryhunters.org
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