8 ms·

I feel pretty passionately about protecting national land. Are there any recommendations on how to best support it? I don't live near any federal lands and I'm

I feel pretty passionately about protecting national land. Are there any recommendations on how to best support it? I don't live near any federal lands and I'm generally don't trust lobbyist groups. Should I be donating to the Sierra Club? Or are there other alternatives?

Diederich 9y ago
https://www.nature.org/ https://www.nature.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nature_Conservancy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nature_Conservancy
KGIII 9y ago
Not Federal and I am going to just quietly link to an option. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Trust_Alliance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Trust_Alliance
- trafficlight 9y ago
  Definitely. We have a lot of different alliances around Montana. http://www.montanalandtrusts.org/memberdirectory/ http://www.montanalandtrusts.org/memberdirectory/
  - KGIII 9y ago
    One of the great benefits about living where I do (Maine) is that so much land is open for public use. I don't want to derail the thread so I will simply point out that it is really easy to cede your land to a trust, in many areas where that's actually beneficial. Some trusts are set up to accept donations in cash, as well. So, either way helps preserve land for public access in perpetuity.
sliverstorm 9y ago
I don't really know either. For clothing you were going to buy anyway, you can spend money with Patagonia & company, who are wading into the fray. You can try to connect with sportsmen's groups and donate or get involved; I'm not a sportsman, but they have been the most effective political force defending public land this year.
- milofeynman 9y ago
  There is a great episode of How I Built This about the cofounder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, and his values. http://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=504852483:505017995 http://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=504852483:505017995
barsonme 9y ago
Other than using the federal lands more _and_ contacting your representatives (via phone!!) to express your support for keeping public federal lands, yes, donate. While your money probably won't be ill-spent with your run-of-the-mill environmental groups, I'd really recommend searching out right-leaning groups that support public federal lands, like the American Conservation Coalition (https://acc.eco https://acc.eco). Sadly, the right has—for a variety of reasons—all but abandoned environmentalism and that's been a major hurdle for those of us who want to protect the environment. Eco-right groups have a _much_ better shot at changing the opinions of right-leaning folk than progressive groups like the Sierra Club do. Full disclosure: I'm one of ACC's 42 unpaid volunteers.
- kharms 9y ago
  Why do you recommend seeking out right-leaning groups?
  - barsonme 9y ago
    Lots of environmental issues get tied up in a debate that usually goes like: Left: "Issue X is a problem" Right: "No it's not" Left: " ... " ...and repeats ad nauseam. If the right was more open to solving environmental issues, we wouldn't have these issues and the debate could be about policy, not the existence of the issue itself. Right-leaning groups already have an "in" with the right and will naturally be better at educating and convincing the right than left-leaning groups.
  - cbcoutinho 9y ago
    I would recommend right-leaning groups as well, but that's mostly because of the hunting communities are usually associated with the actual 'use' of public lands, and have been supporting most of the ecological/wildlife research. There's recently been a big push towards historically sustainable wildlife systems, and that's a topic that resonates with most of the more conservative hunting communities.
    - dbcurtis 9y ago
jacobwilliamroy 9y ago
Phoning your government officials works well. This website takes an address, and returns names and phone numbers belonging to your government representatives. I don't use my home address. There's a grocery store a couple blocks away whose address I use: https://www.nationalpriorities.org/take-action/contact-your-representative/ https://www.nationalpriorities.org/take-action/contact-your-... Tell them your name and what city you live in. This is so they can decide whether or not to write you off; if you're not a resident in the district which they were elected to represent, your opinion really doesn't matter. Tell them specifically, in plain english what it is that you are FOR or AGAINST. All they want to know is "When I am asked to vote 'yes' or 'no' on this issue, which binary response will get me more approval from my constituents?" So all you have to say is: "My name is <NAME>. I live in <TOWN>. I am <FOR>|<AGAINST> <ISSUE>." If you're unsure what language to use, or what legislation is related to your cause, try visiting university campuses, national parks, or local conservation groups. Attending meetings and talking to professionals in the field is a good way to get informed about what you care about.
francisofascii 9y ago
Here is another one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trust_for_Public_Land https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trust_for_Public_Land I am having a hard time determining the difference between these organizations. There seems to be plenty of advocacy. I am particularly interested in organizations that pool money from donations, buy land from these private ranchers, and then turn around and donate it back to the public.
switchbak 9y ago
I don't live in the USA, so I don't really have skin in the game on this issue. I did however want to point out that the Sierra Club has long held a strong anti-mountain biking advocacy position. To each their own of course, but I'd rather support more inclusive groups.
Alex3917 9y ago
> Are there any recommendations on how to best support it? If you want a fun project, you can grab a kayak and a GoPro in order to prove that a river is navigable, which enables legal access up to the ordinary high water mark.
schmichael 9y ago
There are lots of groups specific to regions and activities, so a bit of searching about specific activities/places you enjoy should yield some good organizations. For example https://www.accessfund.org/ https://www.accessfund.org/ does a great job of representing rock climbers. https://gorgefriends.org/ https://gorgefriends.org/ are a group representing the Columbia River Gorge along the Oregon/Washington border.
- StudentStuff 9y ago
  The "Friends of the Gorge" are no friend you'd want. Every interaction I had with them was NIMBY, how dare you not smother the small towns along the gorge to death BS. Most of 'em would see to it that the Gorge goes back to having no wind mills, roads or dams unless its directly used by them for wind surfing or skiing. Bunch of rich, elitist assholes who've come in from Portland and Seattle to fuck up the Gorge IMO.
  - jonknee 9y ago
    NIMBYism is a little different when your backyard is a protected National Scenic Area. Stopping development is pretty much the whole point.
utnick 9y ago
Check out backcountry Hunters & Anglers: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/ https://www.backcountryhunters.org/ They fight to preserve and add to the existing lands.
zumzumzum 9y ago
You can support the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, both of which are heavily involved in issues of access for all types of backcountry users. RMEF especially specializes in purchasing land rights which unlock thousands and thousands of acres of public land that was previously inaccessible. I don't think any organizations are doing more to promote access on public lands. From their website: "Since 1984, RMEF has opened, secured or improved public access to more than 1.1 million acres of elk habitat across the country for hunters, hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy."

Diederich 9y ago

https://www.nature.org/ https://www.nature.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nature_Conservancy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nature_Conservancy

KGIII 9y ago

Not Federal and I am going to just quietly link to an option. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Trust_Alliance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Trust_Alliance

trafficlight 9y ago
Definitely. We have a lot of different alliances around Montana. http://www.montanalandtrusts.org/memberdirectory/ http://www.montanalandtrusts.org/memberdirectory/
- KGIII 9y ago
  One of the great benefits about living where I do (Maine) is that so much land is open for public use. I don't want to derail the thread so I will simply point out that it is really easy to cede your land to a trust, in many areas where that's actually beneficial. Some trusts are set up to accept donations in cash, as well. So, either way helps preserve land for public access in perpetuity.

sliverstorm 9y ago

I don't really know either. For clothing you were going to buy anyway, you can spend money with Patagonia & company, who are wading into the fray. You can try to connect with sportsmen's groups and donate or get involved; I'm not a sportsman, but they have been the most effective political force defending public land this year.

milofeynman 9y ago
There is a great episode of How I Built This about the cofounder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, and his values. http://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=504852483:505017995 http://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=504852483:505017995

barsonme 9y ago

Other than using the federal lands more _and_ contacting your representatives (via phone!!) to express your support for keeping public federal lands, yes, donate. While your money probably won't be ill-spent with your run-of-the-mill environmental groups, I'd really recommend searching out right-leaning groups that support public federal lands, like the American Conservation Coalition (https://acc.eco https://acc.eco). Sadly, the right has—for a variety of reasons—all but abandoned environmentalism and that's been a major hurdle for those of us who want to protect the environment. Eco-right groups have a _much_ better shot at changing the opinions of right-leaning folk than progressive groups like the Sierra Club do. Full disclosure: I'm one of ACC's 42 unpaid volunteers.

kharms 9y ago
Why do you recommend seeking out right-leaning groups?
- barsonme 9y ago
  Lots of environmental issues get tied up in a debate that usually goes like: Left: "Issue X is a problem" Right: "No it's not" Left: " ... " ...and repeats ad nauseam. If the right was more open to solving environmental issues, we wouldn't have these issues and the debate could be about policy, not the existence of the issue itself. Right-leaning groups already have an "in" with the right and will naturally be better at educating and convincing the right than left-leaning groups.
- cbcoutinho 9y ago
  I would recommend right-leaning groups as well, but that's mostly because of the hunting communities are usually associated with the actual 'use' of public lands, and have been supporting most of the ecological/wildlife research. There's recently been a big push towards historically sustainable wildlife systems, and that's a topic that resonates with most of the more conservative hunting communities.
  - dbcurtis 9y ago

jacobwilliamroy 9y ago

Phoning your government officials works well. This website takes an address, and returns names and phone numbers belonging to your government representatives. I don't use my home address. There's a grocery store a couple blocks away whose address I use: https://www.nationalpriorities.org/take-action/contact-your-representative/ https://www.nationalpriorities.org/take-action/contact-your-... Tell them your name and what city you live in. This is so they can decide whether or not to write you off; if you're not a resident in the district which they were elected to represent, your opinion really doesn't matter. Tell them specifically, in plain english what it is that you are FOR or AGAINST. All they want to know is "When I am asked to vote 'yes' or 'no' on this issue, which binary response will get me more approval from my constituents?" So all you have to say is: "My name is <NAME>. I live in <TOWN>. I am <FOR>|<AGAINST> <ISSUE>." If you're unsure what language to use, or what legislation is related to your cause, try visiting university campuses, national parks, or local conservation groups. Attending meetings and talking to professionals in the field is a good way to get informed about what you care about.

francisofascii 9y ago

Here is another one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trust_for_Public_Land https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trust_for_Public_Land I am having a hard time determining the difference between these organizations. There seems to be plenty of advocacy. I am particularly interested in organizations that pool money from donations, buy land from these private ranchers, and then turn around and donate it back to the public.

switchbak 9y ago

I don't live in the USA, so I don't really have skin in the game on this issue. I did however want to point out that the Sierra Club has long held a strong anti-mountain biking advocacy position. To each their own of course, but I'd rather support more inclusive groups.

Alex3917 9y ago

> Are there any recommendations on how to best support it? If you want a fun project, you can grab a kayak and a GoPro in order to prove that a river is navigable, which enables legal access up to the ordinary high water mark.

schmichael 9y ago

There are lots of groups specific to regions and activities, so a bit of searching about specific activities/places you enjoy should yield some good organizations. For example https://www.accessfund.org/ https://www.accessfund.org/ does a great job of representing rock climbers. https://gorgefriends.org/ https://gorgefriends.org/ are a group representing the Columbia River Gorge along the Oregon/Washington border.

StudentStuff 9y ago
The "Friends of the Gorge" are no friend you'd want. Every interaction I had with them was NIMBY, how dare you not smother the small towns along the gorge to death BS. Most of 'em would see to it that the Gorge goes back to having no wind mills, roads or dams unless its directly used by them for wind surfing or skiing. Bunch of rich, elitist assholes who've come in from Portland and Seattle to fuck up the Gorge IMO.
- jonknee 9y ago
  NIMBYism is a little different when your backyard is a protected National Scenic Area. Stopping development is pretty much the whole point.

utnick 9y ago

Check out backcountry Hunters & Anglers: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/ https://www.backcountryhunters.org/ They fight to preserve and add to the existing lands.

zumzumzum 9y ago

You can support the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, both of which are heavily involved in issues of access for all types of backcountry users. RMEF especially specializes in purchasing land rights which unlock thousands and thousands of acres of public land that was previously inaccessible. I don't think any organizations are doing more to promote access on public lands. From their website: "Since 1984, RMEF has opened, secured or improved public access to more than 1.1 million acres of elk habitat across the country for hunters, hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy."