The Land and Water Conservation Fund

In 1965, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund to embody its bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources and our cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. LWCF is helping to create and protect America's outdoor spaces-public and private, large and small, urban and rural-as envisioned by the American people. Americans care deeply about our outdoor heritage, want to enjoy and protect it, and are willing to take collective responsibility to protect it for their children and grandchildren. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has provided funding to secure access for recreational opportunities throughout the country. Over its 50 year history, the Fund has protected conservation and recreation land in every state and supported tens of thousands of state and local projects. The Land and Water Conservation Fund plays an important economic role for local communities. Recreation activities in national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, marine sanctuaries, and other federally managed lands and waters contributed approximately $51 billion and 880,000 jobs to the U. S. economy in 2012. Nationally, outdoor recreation activities contribute $646 billion to the economy annually and support 6.1 million jobs. Moreover, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is a sound investment: for every $1.00 invested in Federal land acquisition through LWCF, there is a return of $4.00. It is also a smart investment: in Denver, Colorado, every federal LWCF dollar spent on revitalization of the South Platte River leveraged more than $2,000 in local and private funding. Conserving landscapes and meeting the present-day needs of local communities requires collaboration among all stakeholders, including private landowners, conservation and recreation groups, and local, state, tribal, and federal governments. The Administration's LWF request supports broad collaboration around locally driven priorities and more efficient and coordinated ways of investing in, restoring, and managing the country's natural and cultural resources.