Field Notes

Fall 2020

yellowstone bear

Protecting 30 by 30

The Big Challenge The United States is losing nature at an alarming pace—a football field’s worth of natural lands are lost to human development every 30 seconds. Ecologists, led by E.O. Wilson, say that we must protect at least 50% of land and water for nature to prevent the majority of species from going extinct.

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The Big Challenge

The United States is losing nature at an alarming pace—a football field’s worth of natural lands are lost to human development every 30 seconds. Ecologists, led by E.O. Wilson, say that we must protect at least 50% of land and water for nature to prevent the majority of species from going extinct. This is WRA’s goal for the West—but as the map shows, we need to get moving now.

trumpeter swan
30x30 applies to waters as well as land. WRA is using new tools like outstanding waters designations to protect sensitive wetlands such as Nevada’s Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge that play an essential role in supporting wildlife and filtering fresh water.

Why 30 x 30?

Scientists and advocates realize that the biggest challenge is mobilizing political will to protect half the planet. So we have set an interim goal of reaching 30% protection by 2030.

How We’re Getting it Done

National legislation has been proposed, but we cannot achieve the level of protection we need through federal action alone. WRA knows that real change happens at the state and local level, where we must protect special places like the ones in the images here. Other ways WRA is working to meet this goal? Protecting wildlife corridors, stopping unnecessary sprawl, and preventing the degradation of land, water, and air through smarter rules for oil and gas development. Learn more at westernresourceadvocates.org/30×30.

Fisher Peak
Investing in state and even neighborhood parks, like Colorado’s brand new Fishers Peak State Park, ensures protection for irreplaceable wildlife habitat while also providing more ways for people to get outside.
Valle de Oro: Collaborative rendering by Weddle Gilmore, Surroundings Studio, and Formative Architecture.
All communities must share in the benefits of protecting land and waters. Albuquerque’s Valle de Oro, the first urban national wildlife refuge in the Southwest, is an oasis for waterbirds and a living lab for area school kids. Valle de Oro: Collaborative rendering by Weddle Gilmore, Surroundings Studio, and Formative Architecture.

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