American Hiking Society Lauds President’s Support for Public Lands in Budget
SILVER SPRING, MD – American Hiking Society applauds the Obama Administration’s recently released budget’s strong support for the public lands where Americans love to hike and backpack. This investment in public lands for each and every American to enjoy is crucial to ensuring that this generation and future ones will have forests to be discovered, deserts to be explored, and places where they can hike with their families to make memories that will last a lifetime.
The President’s budget provides much-needed support for America’s National Parks, National Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and other lands where Americans hike, bike, fish, hunt, and camp. Of particular note is the budget’s full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a program that is funded not with tax payer dollars, but with royalties from offshore energy exploration. On this, the LWCF’s 50th anniversary, it would only be fitting to honor the promise made long ago to dedicate $900 million of these royalties from the depletion of one public resource to the preservation of another public resource.
If Congress approves LWCF funding at the same level as the President’s budget, hikers would enjoy increased land protection and preservation on some of America’s most cherished trails such as the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Lewis & Clark Trail, and many others.
“Imagine if earlier generations failed to have the foresight to protect these places for us today,” noted Gregory Miller, President of American Hiking Society. “The President’s budget continues a uniquely American tradition of paying it forward to the next generation.”
On behalf of the 50 million Americans who hike and backpack, American Hiking Society encourages Congress to support the funding levels in the Administration’s budget that will help protect and preserve the places America loves to hike.
About American Hiking Society
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its mission and programs, visit https://americanhiking.org/ or call (800) 972-8608.
CONTACT:
Peter Olsen, Vice President for Programs & Government Relations
(800) 972-8608 x 705
POlsen at AmericanHiking.org