Policy makes conservation possible.
That is why we have experts on staff who help influence how government policies in the United States are written and brought to life. Their approach to doing so is nonpartisan, practical and grounded in science.
And it is why we encourage you to speak up for nature by letting your leaders in Congress, the Executive Office, state capitols and government agencies know what you think can be done differently to address climate change and protect the diversity of life on earth.
Voices – ours and yours – are needed for meaningful policies all along the way. Speak up when new legislation is proposed, celebrate it when it is passed and defend it so that funding is not stripped away at a later date. We must also help shape how the fine print for new programs included in legislation is written and decisions are made on how to allocate new funding.
Government leaders cannot address all the threats to nature. Private sector companies, Indigenous peoples and local communities, scientists, investors and others also play a critical role. But government action is one of the strongest levers we have for creating the healthy natural systems in the U.S. and globally that are the foundation for our economy, security and way of life.
We have years, not decades, to solve the interconnected crises of climate change and species loss. Take action now on our top policy priorities.
The Farm Bill
The Farm Bill is the largest source of federal funding for conserving, restoring and managing private land in the U.S. It is currently up for renewal in Congress, something that only happens once every five years.
U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act
This proposed legislation would leverage government, private sector and philanthropic funds to support communities and Indigenous Peoples around the world who want to conserve and manage protected areas and at-risk fish, plants and animals.
2024 Policy Priorities
We use decades of hands-on experience and knowledge to partner with local, state and federal governments on science-based policy solutions that benefit both people and nature.
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Funding Nature
The Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are the largest investments in climate action ever. Now, we must implement funding.
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Protecting America's Wildlife
Many U.S. fish and wildlife species are at risk of extinction. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) would fund local and state efforts to save them.
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Power of Place
We need to scale clean energy to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Our Power of Place report lays out policies that would benefit climate, people and nature.
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Wildfire Resilience
Severe wildfires have become the norm. TNC's Wildfire Resilience Roadmap outlines our recommendations for restoring landscapes and reducing wildfire impact.
Recent Environmental Policy Wins
For decades, TNC has helped shape legislation. Historic policy wins from the past several years now show how far we’ve come in making conservation and climate action central policy issues in the U.S.
TAKE ACTION
Speak Up For Nature
You have the power to influence and advance meaningful policy. Reaching out to your elected officials in Congress and state capitols and urging them to support climate action can go a long way, and luckily, we make it easier than ever to contact your leaders.
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Our roadmap combines bold policy action with forward-thinking approaches to change how we manage and prepare for extreme wildfires.
DOWNLOADLatest Policy News
Conservation Continues with Extended Farm Bill
Congress passed a short-term budget deal to avoid a government shutdown that includes a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill. This gives lawmakers more time to hammer out a new five-year package.
Supreme Court Weakens EPA’s Authority to Enforce Clean Water Act
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today to limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to protect critical wetlands and the health of U.S. waterways.
Conservation Groups Celebrate Senate Introduction of Rural Forest Markets Act
Legislation will unlock millions of private dollars for rural America.
New Congressional Report Calls for Urgent, Integrated Approaches to the Wildfire Crisis
The Nature Conservancy’s Wildfire Resilience Roadmap aligns with a new report commissioned by Congress with recommendations to address increasingly severe risk from extreme wildfires.