Statement from Outdoor Alliance on the Make America Beautiful Again Commission
The White House has formally launched the Make America Beautiful Again Commission, following the President’s executive order earlier this year outlining a vision to elevate conservation, stewardship, and outdoor recreation on public lands and waters.
Outdoor Alliance welcomes the commission’s stated commitment to prioritizing responsible conservation, restoring our lands and waters, and protecting America’s outdoor heritage for the enjoyment of the American people. Public lands are foundational to our national identity and to a $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy that supports 5 million jobs nationwide. Ensuring their long-term health and accessibility is essential for communities, outdoor businesses, and millions of outdoor enthusiasts across the country.
We are encouraged that the commission recognizes both the economic and cultural importance of public lands, as well as the significant deferred maintenance backlog facing agencies like the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. Turning these values into durable policy outcomes will require sustained commitment and concrete action.
Outdoor Alliance encourages the Commission and the administration to prioritize:
Balancing development with recreation and conservation on public lands, ensuring that energy and infrastructure decisions do not come at the expense of access, clean water, wildlife habitat, and outdoor experiences.
Providing adequate staffing and funding for the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and other land management agencies so they can maintain trails, manage visitor use, steward natural resources, and serve the recreating public.
Protecting America’s wild backcountry lands, forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains that provide world-class opportunities for hiking, climbing, paddling, mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and other human-powered outdoor pursuits.
Reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund established under the Great American Outdoors Act to continue addressing the deferred maintenance backlog and improve the condition of roads, trails, campgrounds, and historic sites across the country.
Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance, said, “Public lands are part of what makes this country extraordinary. The Make America Beautiful Again Commission lays out an opportunity to translate shared values into meaningful policy outcomes. For the millions of Americans who hike, climb, paddle, ride, and ski on public lands, success will mean real investment in stewardship, balanced decision-making that protects recreation access and conservation values, and long-term commitments like reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund. We encourage the administration to follow through with durable action to strengthen America’s outdoor heritage for generations to come.”
Outdoor Alliance looks forward to engaging with the commission and decision-makers to ensure that the outdoor recreation community’s voice is heard and that this effort results in lasting benefits for public lands and waters.