UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE
FOREST SERVICE
STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM
U.S. Forest Service LAND AND WATER
open space conservation CONSERVATION FUND
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
supports the Forest Service Open Space
Conservation Strategy by funding land acquisition
and open space conservation projects on National
Forests and Grasslands.
HOW DOES LWCF WORK?
LWCF funds are shared between the Forest Service
and the three land management bureaus within
the Department of the Interior—the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), and National Park Service (NPS). The Forest
Service uses its portion of LWCF to fund State and
Private Forestry programs such as the Forest
Legacy Program; and to fund acquisitions on
national forests and grasslands. This flyer addresses
the latter. The National Forest System uses a
competitive process to identify the agency’s top
priority projects for acquisitions. The system
considers how the projects: sustain and restore
watersheds and habitat for threatened or
endangered species, improve recreational uses,
mitigate climate change, and increase
management efficiency.
Longleaf Pine Forest, Endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker habitat, Francis Marion
National Forest, South Carolina. Photo courtesy of Peggy-Jo Nadler.
WHAT IS LWCF?
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was
established by the U.S. Congress in 1964 to protect
U.S. lands and waters and provide recreational
opportunities for all Americans. LWCF is the largest
source of funding for Federal land acquisition and
open space conservation projects. The LWCF Act
(public law 88-578) allows up to $900 million to be
deposited into the fund annually (although this level
of funding has only occurred twice since the Act was
authorized). Funds come from receipts for offshore
drilling fees paid by energy companies.
LWCF OPEN SPACE BENEFITS:
Benefits provided by LWCF acquisitions for open
space conservation projects include: enhancement of
local and national economies; maintenance of
working landscapes; protection of wildlife habitats;
and conservation of ecosystems, watersheds, and
forests. Specifically:
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Argentine Pass in Summit County, Colorado.
Photo courtesy of Greg Warren.
- Since its authorization, LWCF has been used to
purchase, protect, and enhance lands in every
State, totaling 7 million acres of land and water
resources.
- For every $1 spent of LWCF, it is estimated to
return $4 in economic value for ecosystem
services such as protecting water quality and
supply.
Working Across Boundaries to Sustain Working and Natural Landscapes
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION STRATEGY
The Forest Service has developed a comprehensive Open
Space Conservation Strategy that aims to sustain the
environmental, social, and economic benefits of forests
and grasslands across the landscape by:
- PROTECTING the most ecologically and socially
important lands;
- CONSERVING working lands as sustainable forests
and grasslands;
- EXPANDING and connecting open spaces in cities,
suburbs, and towns; and
- REDUCING the potential ecological impacts and risks of
development.
Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Photo
courtesy of Laura Livingston
LWCF IN ACTION: COLLABORATION IN THE
MONTANA LEGACY PROJECT
The Montana Legacy Project brought together a wide
array of groups who partnered to drive one of the
boldest conservation projects in recent history. The goal
of the project is to protect more than 45,000 acres of
private land “inholdings” (pockets of private land
surrounded by national forest) in Montana through the
use of donations, land purchases, and easement
acquisitions. These lands are important to building
resiliency in the ecosystems by maintaining
interconnected landscapes and restoring fragmented or
degraded habitats that are important for endangered
species such as bull trout, grizzly bears, and lynx.
This collaborative effort involved a number of Federal
and State agencies, tribes, businesses, private parties,
local communities, and charitable environmental
organizations. The inholdings acquired are now available
for public use and enjoyment and will increase
management efficiency by eliminating boundaries and
reducing wildfire risk, thereby reducing costs.
LWCF IN ACTION: PROTECTING ACCESS AND
CREATING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Located along the Imnaha Wild and Scenic River, Hells
Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America.
Annually, this area attracts more than 300,000 visitors,
who travel to Hells Canyon for its multitude of
recreational activities and its scenic views. Hells Canyon
provides the public with the open spaces to enjoy
camping, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, hiking,
rafting, cycling, snowmobiling, skiing, and mountain
biking. The canyon is home to game and non-game
species including mule deer, elk, mountain goats, black
bears, cougars, and wintering bald eagles. The land is
also rich in artifacts from prehistoric tribes, as traces of
human existence date back to 8,000 years on this land.
A paramount goal of Forest Service’s LWCF program is
to protect traditional access for hunting, fishing, and
other recreational pursuits. By purchasing these parcels
in Hells Canyon, the Forest Service has secured access to
the area and conserved open space for the public in
perpetuity.
For more information on the Open Space Conservation
Strategy, visit:
http://www.fs.fed.us/openspace/
For more information on the Land and Water
Conservation Fund, visit:
http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/LWCF/
http://www.lwcfcoalition.org/about-lwcf.html .
Grizzly Bear, Montana. Photo courtesy of Chad Trettin. Copyright The Nature Conservancy
Working Across Boundaries to Sustain Working and Natural Landscapes