America the Beautiful Act Advances, Supporting Conservation and Access to Public Lands
Public lands are where countless hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts first discover a lifelong passion for conservation. They also provide critical habitat for wild turkeys and many other wildlife species. Last week, those lands took an important step toward receiving additional investment as the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously advanced the America the Beautiful Act.
The legislation, introduced by Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Angus King (I-Maine), would reauthorize and expand upon the landmark Great American Outdoors Act by providing $1.9 billion annually over five years to address the growing maintenance backlog across federal public land agencies, including the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service.
For the National Wild Turkey Federation, maintaining healthy and accessible public lands is essential to advancing its mission of conserving the wild and preserving North America's hunting heritage.
Across the country, deteriorating roads, bridges, campgrounds and trail systems have increasingly limited access to the public lands where sportsmen and women hunt, recreate and steward wildlife habitat. Deferred maintenance also creates challenges for land managers working to implement active forest management, restore watersheds, improve wildlife habitat and reduce catastrophic wildfire risk.
The America the Beautiful Act would provide dedicated funding to address those maintenance needs while ensuring public lands remain accessible for future generations of hunters, anglers, hikers and outdoor recreationists.
"Accessible, well-managed public lands are vital for the future of hunting and outdoor recreation," said Matt Lindler, NWTF director of government affairs. "Investing in critical infrastructure allows land managers to implement active forest management, complete habitat restoration projects and ensure hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts can continue accessing the places that define our outdoor heritage. The America the Beautiful Act represents an important investment in both conservation and public access."
The legislation builds upon the success of the Great American Outdoors Act, signed into law in 2020, which has helped address longstanding infrastructure needs across America's public lands while improving visitor access and supporting local economies.
For the NWTF, investments in public land infrastructure complement decades of habitat conservation work completed alongside federal agencies and partners. Through collaborative efforts, like the National Master Stewardship Agreement with the Forest Service, the NWTF works to accelerate forest restoration, improve wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk and expand recreational opportunities on millions of acres of public land.
The committee's unanimous bipartisan vote reflects broad recognition that conserving public lands and guaranteeing access remain priorities that unite sportsmen and women across the country.
The America the Beautiful Act now advances to the full Senate for consideration. If enacted, it would provide long-term investments to help ensure America's public lands remain healthy, accessible and productive for wildlife and the people who depend on them.
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.