​Announcing the 30 x 30 Campaign for Western New York

The Western New York Environmental Alliance is pleased to announce that we will be leading a campaign to follow in the policy footsteps of  the United States and the State of New York to promote the adoption of local and regional policies and where appropriate, ordinances and other guidelines that encourage identifying and protecting 30% of ecologically productive land and waters by the year 2030.  You are invited to participate as your voice is needed in order to accomplish this important goal which will help to protect the well-being of future generations of humans. Our initial organizing meeting was held on Saturday morning November 11, 2023 at the Buffalo Museum of science between 10 am and noon.  One of the primary objectives of this meeting is to establish a leadership council. Your voice is welcomed! Please come and spread the word. MEETING INFORMATION HERE

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Please take a few minutes to fill out our 30 x 30 Questionnaire by clicking HERE  or using the QR code below.

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The Biden administration recognizes the widespread support for 30x30 and the new report proposes an America the Beautiful Campaign—a “ten-year, locally led campaign to conserve and restore the lands and waters upon which we all depend, and that bind us together as Americans.” It moves the administration’s 30x30 goal forward by proposing:

• Eight principles to guide the effort:
  • Pursue a Collaborative and Inclusive Approach to Conservation
  • Conserve America’s Lands and Waters for the Benefit of All People
  • Support Locally Led and Locally Designed Conservation Efforts
  • Honor Tribal Sovereignty and Support the Priorities of Tribal Nations
  • Pursue Conservation and Restoration Approaches that Create Jobs and Support Healthy Communities
  • Honor Private Property Rights and Support the Voluntary Stewardship Efforts of Private Landowners and Fishers
  • Use Science as a Guide
  • Build on Existing Tools and Strategies with an Emphasis on Flexibility and Adaptive Approaches
• The building of an “American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas:” an accessible and evolving mapping or other database tool that provides a baseline of information on lands and waters that have already been conserved or restored—and against which we can measure the progress of conservation, stewardship, and restoration efforts across the United States
• The publication of an annual public “America the Beautiful” report, updating the progress being made to support conservation and restoration efforts across the country, as well as the condition of fish and wildlife habitats and populations
• Recommendations for early focus:
  • Create more parks and safe outdoor opportunities in nature-deprived communities
  • Support Tribally led conservation and restoration priorities
  • Expand collaborative conservation of fish and wildlife habitats and corridors
  • Increase access for outdoor recreation
  • Incentivize and reward the voluntary conservation efforts of fishers, ranchers, farmers, and forest owners
  • Create jobs by investing in restoration and resilience

Critically, the report highlights the need to bring together diverse voices—including voices that have too often been excluded from the decision-making processes around conservation. The 30x30 initiative opens the door to a new, more inclusive model of conservation that is science-based, locally driven, and engages all stakeholders, from tribal and Indigenous communities to farmers, ranchers, and outdoors enthusiasts.