This commentary is by Justin Dempsey, of Burlington. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources.
Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, the vast majority of us feel a deep connection with nature and outdoor public spaces and do not want to see them sold. Unfortunately, America’s public lands are now under attack and at-risk of being sold off to the highest bidder.
The Trump administration has fired rangers and defunded the parks department. On February 14, 5% of the National Parks Service was laid off. These people are stewards of our national treasures and their stories are harrowing. Yet these cuts are just the beginning. There are plans to further reduce the Parks’ budget, slashing it by as much as one-third.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Ariz., introduced legislation to sell up to 3 million acres of our public land while making 250 million acres available for sale. While it failed, there is still a looming battle over our shared natural inheritance.
In Vermont, over 12,000 acres of forestland are converted to non-forest use annually. While this is more due to rural sprawl, our forests are being fragmented, threatening biodiversity and animal migration. A recently failed proposal to build an Amazon distribution facility in Saxon Hill shows how ardently Vermonters oppose this type of development.
Privatization of public lands leads to mining, logging and other destructive activities. At an oil industry conference, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum called our national parks the “largest balance sheet in the world.” The Trump administration has repeatedly advocated a “Drill Baby, Drill” approach to our public lands.
This is not how most Americans feel about our purple mountain majesties. Polls show that, regardless of political affiliation, preserving our natural wonders is wildly popular. Americans recognize our obligation to preserve the natural splendor for future generations. Unfortunately, the state is abdicating its duty.
While America’s natural wonders are under threat, her financial assets are booming.
The stock market hit a record high on July 2 and has continued its upward trajectory. A strong jobs report caused U.S. Treasury yields to spike. That said, the link between Wall Street and Main Street is severed. Wages have failed to keep pace with productivity gains across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Almost 4 in 10 Americans don’t own any stocks or bonds. The trillions in stock market gains are enriching already-resourced individuals, creating an even bigger divide between the haves and have-nots.
When the government steps back, non-governmental organizations step up. Many groups are filling the void left by the cuts to National Parks Services, and they need your help.
As a member of the board of The Nature Conservancy in Vermont, I own my bias, but there are many groups doing important conservation work in Vermont — from local land trusts to state-wide initiatives.
The Nature Conservancy is a politically non-partisan group, putting the work over the politics. We advocate for practical, science-based policies under both red and blue administrations. In Vermont, The Nature Conservancy is working to conserve critical habitats for biodiversity and climate resilience, store carbon by preserving our forests, and create a vast network of connected, conserved lands.
If you feel that our shared natural inheritance does not belong in the hands of Wall Street, please consider donating to the vital conservation work happening around our beautiful state. Once these lands are lost, we’ll never get them back.
