Photo courtesy Vicky Hoover
This is the fifth entry in a multi-part series, "2030 Landscapes: Visions for California's Nature and Communities," showcasing community perspectives on how we can protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030. Check back next month for more California landscapes. You can read other entries in the series here:
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2030 Landscapes: Visions for California's Nature and Communities
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2030 Landscapes: Shade in LA – Rising Heat Inequity in a Sunburnt City
When I first began hiking public lands in California more than fifty years ago, I simply took these places for granted. I backpacked in the wonderful Sierra Nevada, camped, climbed peaks, reveled in the sweeping, scenic landscapes. I came to feel myself as a part of this natural land. But I never asked HOW these lands came to be protected so that I could have the pleasure of wandering there.
When I joined the Sierra Club and learned about the Wilderness Act and the hard work by many people to make it happen, I came to a new appreciation of what these preserved lands mean.
All I learned made me appreciate the scenic areas I had enjoyed exploring in a new light, and helped me decide it was time for me to lend a hand to protect more lands for future generations. I turned myself into an enthused activist for public lands protection.
We’re in a critical moment for lands and waters protection. The science is clear, public lands must be part of our solution to climate change. The green spaces that public lands are known for are critical for absorbing carbon out of the atmosphere, limiting its warming effects, and preserving clean air and water. Experts agree that we must protect 30 percent of all lands and waters in the US by 2030 to stave off the worst effects of the climate crisis. That means protecting more lands and waters in the next decade than we did in the last century. California has set that as its own goal—the so-called “30x30” initiative.
Taking on climate change is critical, but it’s not the only benefit of protecting more public lands. When I eventually moved to a big city—San Francisco—and as I spent time there, I saw how many urban communities live far from green spaces, whether they were the Sierra Nevada that I’d grown to love or simple city parks. With such limited access, or worse, no access at all, entire communities were unable to make the connections with nature that were so important to my life. We need to bring nature—our human support system—closer to people, so nature can be a real part of all our lives. Achieving 30x30 would do just that.
People need nature for mental and physical health and well being, but so do critters, the wildlife that keep ecosystems thriving. I grew alarmed by the news of the extinction crisis. We should view public lands, especially wilderness, with even greater appreciation, because these lands—where wild nature is protected—can best shelter wildlife facing extinction and provide quality habitat. Here again, achieving 30x30 helps us solve this problem. I figured that we needed to protect nature in MORE places than just strictly wilderness areas— how else could we get enough natural, protected places for people to enjoy AND for preserving threatened species from extinction?
That is what our 30x30 campaign is about—to conserve nature to take on the climate crisis, stop the biodiversity crisis, and expand equitable access to nature. Without the magnificent tradition of public lands, we could not protect these lands and waters, safeguard the wildlife who call them home, and build connections between our communities and green spaces so we all can thrive. After all the years I have enjoyed public lands and helped preserve more, 30x30 gives us another huge reason to celebrate public lands.