The plan requires conserving 440 million acres
In the next 10 years, the Biden Administration is hoping to conserve an area twice the size of Texas as part of its newly announced America the Beautiful plan. Otherwise known as 30x30, the goal is to conserve 30% of U.S. land and 30% of U.S. water by 2030.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says it will be a locally led, voluntary and nationwide effort.
“We can use the flexibility of our farm bill conservation programs to work with producers, landowners, conservation groups and states to conserve farmlands, ranch land and forest lands,” Vilsack says.
BIG VISION, FEW DETAILS
“30x30 for now is big on vision and short on details,” says Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer Washington policy analyst. “Farmers and ranchers mostly like the principles, but like we always say: The devil (could be) in the details.”
Some initiatives, such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), are part of the plan. USDA expanded CRP to offer new incentives and higher rental rates. The acreage cap for CRP rises to 27 million by 2023 (currently 21 million acres are enrolled).
The U.S. is conserving 26% of its coastal waters and 12% of its land in a largely natural state, per the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). To reach the 30x30 goal requires conserving around 440 million acres in 10 years.
“Despite the lofty principles in this report, we are nowhere closer to understanding how the administration would accomplish them,” says Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).
Several agencies, including USGS and NRCS, are now in a working group to develop a tool designed to track current and future efforts.
“USDA Secretary Vilsack will try to weave details into a coming climate change strategy that will fit that and this 30x30 executive order,” Wiesemeyer says.
Six Priorities of the ‘America the Beautiful’ Plan
- Creating more parks and outdoor opportunities in nature-deprived communities.
- Increasing access for outdoor recreation.
- Creating jobs by investing in restoration and resilience projects and initiatives.
- Creating jobs by investing in restoration and resilience projects and initiatives.
- Expanding collaborative conservation of fish and wildlife habitats and corridors.
- Supporting Tribally led conservation and restoration priorities.
Read More
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