Tell President Biden: Protect our wild places

Docket No. DOI-2021-0016

Dear President Biden,

Only 12% of our lands and less than 1% of oceans off the continental U.S. are protected. We have an obligation to preserve the last wild areas so critical to our migratory birds, bears, whales and more. We have work to do to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030.

To ensure that we are protecting America's natural heritage, we need to know what is already set aside and which places still need protection. When developing the America the Beautiful Altas, we urge you to include the status for all conservation areas and only to count as fully "protected" the areas where our natural ecosystems are truly preserved. On land, this means areas that fall under the USGS's GAP codes 1 and 2. In the ocean, this means highly to fully protected marine areas, as laid out in the MPA Guide.

By ensuring that we are truly setting aside places for the conservation of nature, we can uphold one of the greatest American traditions and pass on a better world to the next generation.

Sincerely,