Florida legislators, step up and save the Land and Water Conservation Fund
President Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, "There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm." For more than 30 years, I woke up every day and went to my job at the National Parks Service, and found a new reason to believe those words.
During my tenure at NPS, I bore witness to natural wonders, the beauty of which is impossible to describe in words. How do you describe watching the sunrise deep in the Everglades, or watching it set in the most remote corners of the Arctic Circle? I am deeply proud of my service as park superintendent of Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks in Florida, Gates of the Arctic in Alaska, and Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania. I feel that as Americans, it is our duty to protect our wild places so that future generations can look upon them in wonder, too.
That’s why I am increasingly troubled by reports that Congress may not act to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a vital conservation program which is set to expire on Sept. 30. Since 1966, LWCF dollars have helped protect and enhance important places in every state in our great nation, from wildlife refuges to local ballfields, and everything in between. That’s why it should come as no surprise that LWCF has enjoyed wide bipartisan support for decades — especially since the program draws absolutely no tax dollars from our pockets. Instead, LWCF invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing into communities across the country.
The impacts of losing the Land and Water Conservation Fund in Florida would be nothing short of catastrophic for our lands and waters and the communities that depend on them. Since its inception, LWCF has invested more than $1 billion to protect the Everglades, Biscayne National Park, Osceola National Forest, and countless other unique places. The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, for instance, has received more than $11 million dollars in LWCF funding. LWCF expiration would put these places at serious risk of deterioration, to say nothing of places like Florida National Scenic Trail, which is counting on new LWCF funding to protect shorelines.
It’s not just the flora and the fauna that depend on LWCF. People come from all over to snorkel off our coasts, hike through our forests, and create one-of-akind memories of the Sunshine State wildlife with their families. Florida is home to a booming $58.6 billion outdoor recreation industry, which supports nearly half a million jobs. The Everglades alone bring in more than a hundred million dollars a year for the surrounding communities. Losing LWCF is a direct threat to Florida’s economy, and the Floridians that depend on it. That’s why I’m calling on Congress to permanently renew LWCF without delay. It’s a no-brainer.
At least, Sen. Bill Nelson thinks so. He’s voted in favor of Florida’s lands, waters, and workers in the past, and pledged to protect LWCF. Representatives Brian Mast, Vern Buchanan and Carlos Curbelo have all expressed support for LWCF renewal at one point or the other — but for their constituents’ sake, they need to make this one of their top priorities, and urge their colleagues to do the same.
Our elected officials must take a stand and vote to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund — before it’s too late. If my time at the Parks Service has taught me anything, it’s that the outdoors are for everyone, regardless of what trail they took to get here or what trails lay ahead. Our congressional representatives have a chance to support a bipartisan measure that would prove just that. If they don’t take it, I think we should elect some folks who will. Richard “Dick” Ring retired after 36 years of federal service, 32 of which were with the National Park Service. While with the NPS, he served in numerous positions including: 19 years as park superintendent at Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and Everglades & Dry Tortugas National Parks and 4 years as Associate Director of the National Park Service. Dick currently serves on the Board of Trustees at the National Park Trust and also on the Executive Council of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.