In addition to advocacy in Minnesota, the Forests and Wildlife Stewards Group also advocates for federal legislation that will help protect nature nationally.
Here are some of our national priorities:
Sierra Club’s top conservation priorities for the next five-year Farm Bill, including several included in U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow's proposed bill, which is superior to the House version per our Sierra Club statement and an update from Stabenow.
Senate passage of legislation in the U.S. House's recently-passed EXPLORE Act which would provide funding for outdoor recreation sites in economically disadvantaged communities; simplify and streamline permitting processes for guides, outfitters, outdoor leaders and nonprofit organizations; expand access to outdoor recreation for environmental justice communities; and make the outdoors more accessible for children, families, veterans, and the military community.
An important National Biodiversity Strategy resolution championed by our wide coalition of environmental organizations focused on: (1) establishing the effective conservation, restoration, and protection of at least 30 percent of an ecologically representative area of the lands, freshwaters, and oceans in the United States and in the world by 2030, by working collaboratively with governments, land owners, fishers, indigenous peoples, communities, and others; (2) restoring or rewilding species, degraded habitats, and ensuring integrity and connectivity of protected areas; (3) retaining and protecting highly intact ecosystems.
To help push this legislation forward, Stewards Janette Dean and Bill Pollnow joined 24 other participants in Sierra Club's D.C. Wildlands and Wilderness Lobby Days Fly-in this past spring to help represent state residents and constituents of U.S. legislators on key committees (including Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and Betty McCollum). The lobby days, training and other club activities were co-led by advocacy leaders in the D.C. Office.
Bill and Janette met with their own legislators' key staff and also attended other national Sierra Club members' legislative meetings. They also dropped off a few package requests to other legislators from Minnesota and other influential U.S. legislators.