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Policy

The Land and Water Conservation Fund

LWCF protects millions of acres of land—without costing taxpayers a cent

Updated August 25, 2026

A trail, bordered in wooden railings, meanders through a grove of tall, majestic redwood trees. A hazy light diffuses the scene.
Redwood sanctuary Muir Woods National Monument is just one of the many places in California that have been protected thanks to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. © MNStudio - stock.adobe.com

What is the Land and Water Conservation Fund? 

The Land and Water Conservation Fund is one of the most important conservation programs in the United States. It protects a vast variety of public and working lands, including national parks and national forests, state and city parks, wildlife refuges and Civil War battlefields. 

If you’ve enjoyed time in the great outdoors, chances are you’ve benefited from a LWCF project. In fact, there is at least one project in nearly every county in the country.

LWCF does more than protect land. It also ensures that everyday people can access opportunities to hike, hunt, camp, fish and more. LWCF investments help to finance recreation infrastructure such as trails, boat launches, boardwalks, playgrounds and public swimming pools. 

All of these benefits come at no cost to taxpayers. LWCF is entirely funded by charging oil and gas companies a fee for drilling in federal waters. More than nine in 10 American voters support using fees from offshore drilling to fund LWCF.  

LWCF: By the Numbers

  • An icon of trees with a fence in front of them.

    46,000

    LWCF has funded more than 46,000 projects

  • An icon of three people.

    4:1

    For every $1 invested in LWCF, communities see $4 in benefits

  • An icon of dollar bills.

    $0

    LWCF's cost to taxpayers

  • An icon of two fish.

    90%

    Over 90% of LWCF projects provide public recreation access, including a majority with fishing and hunting access

  • An icon of shaking hands.

    9/10

    More than 9 in 10 voters want to continue to use fees from oil and gas drilling to fund LWCF

  • An icon of three people in hardhats.

    5M

    Outdoor recreation supports 5 million jobs in the U.S.

Tell Congress: Protect LWCF

LWCF is one of the United States' most important conservation programs and is a pillar of the outdoor recreation economy. Now, some lawmakers are proposing to block, divert or even eliminate LWCF funding. Join TNC in defending this vital program.

Add your name

History of LWCF

Congress created LWCF in 1964 as a response to the growing recognition that the federal government and states have a duty to conserve public lands and invest in outdoor recreation.

In 2019, Congress permanently authorized the fund. A year later, Congress then passed The Great American Outdoors Act, providing mandatory funding for LWCF at no less than $900 million a year. These victories were the result of many years of advocacy work from a diverse group of partners, including The Nature Conservancy. 

Although the program now has permanent funding, demand for its grants remains much greater than available funds. LWCF’s popularity—along with the escalating threats to America’s public lands—underscores the continuing need for the program. 

Threats to LWCF

Despite overwhelming support for the program, some lawmakers are trying to restrict the use of LWCF funding, divert it to other programs or even to eliminate it entirely. This bureaucratic “red tape” will prevent LWCF from funding new projects and will stall projects already underway. 

A scene of Mt. Hood, swept with feathery clouds, perfectly reflected in the lake below the mountain.
Mountain's Majesty Over the last 50 years, Oregon has received hundreds of millions of dollars from LWCF to protect public lands such as Mt. Hood National Forest. © Gareth Price/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Places LWCF Protects

Get to know some of the parks, monuments and landscapes that LWCF has helped to protect.

Great Sand Dunes National Park Thanks to LWCF funding, The Nature Conservancy was able to transfer over 12,000 acres of privately owned land to Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park. © Nick Hall
Cape Hatteras LWCF has invested $2.5 million in North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, the first national seashore in the United States. © Sean Pavone 2023
Appalachian Trail LWCF grants have protected natural areas surrounding this iconic trail, helping to preserve its forested vistas for generations of hikers. © Andrew Forestell/TNC Photo Contest 2018
Black River State Park LWCF grants helped to expand the footprint of this South Carolina park and improve public access to the Black River, a premier canoeing destination. © Mac Stone
Gettysburg LWCF investments have enabled Gettysburg National Military Park to acquire threatened land adjoining the park, helping to preserve historic viewsheds. © Gary Saxe / Adobe Stock
Okanogan-Wenatchee LWCF has helped to reconnect 30,000 acres of previously private land to this national forest in Washington’s Central Cascades mountain range. © Miguel Vieira / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

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