Land and Water Conservation Fund

50+ Years of Public Lands Conservation 

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, was established in 1964. It directs $900 million a year from offshore drilling revenues into a special account in the federal treasury. 

LWCF provides funding for local, state and national parks, as well as other public lands such as forests, shorelines, historic sites and wildlife refuges. In addition, the fund supports 41,000 state and local park projects, provides 9.4 million sustainable domestic jobs, protects millions of acres of land and contributes $1.06 trillion annually to the national economy. All at zero cost to taxpayers. The legacy of the Land and Water Conservation Fund is outstanding — expanding Americans’ access to spectacular natural landmarks as well as parks and trails near home.

The LWCF was permanently reauthorized in 2019 on a strong, bipartisan vote. This was a huge victory for conservation. Unfortunately, the reauthorization did not included full and dedicated funding, which means we will need to fight for funding through the annual appropriations process.

Why Should You Care?

Land is the key to a healthy and secure future for all Americans. It provides pure drinking water, healthy food, clean air and places to reflect and recreate. Too many people lack access to nature, with its abundant benefits for health, education and quality of life. To meet people’s needs for nature, the Land Trust Alliance is committed to obtaining full and dedicated funding.