Leave No Trace Invited To White House To Discuss Accessibility And Sustainability In The Outdoors

July 21, 2022 — Leave No Trace Director, Dana Watts, was invited to the White House this Thursday (7/21/22) to represent Leave No Trace at a celebration of the new Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR). Leadership from the White House, Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, and the Army Corps of Engineers were all present along with outdoor industry and association representatives.

Watts, who represented Leave No Trace and its mission toward sustainability and conservation stated, “This group of agencies is uniting to address issues affecting the outdoor recreation community today including opening up more opportunities for underserved populations and promoting sustainable recreation practices. I am so excited to be here representing Leave No Trace and I’m ready to work with our interagency partners to deliver Leave No Trace to anyone getting outside today.”

According to the White House Press, the group was formed under the Biden-Harris administration as part of the America the Beautiful initiative with the goal of “create(ing) more safe, affordable and equitable opportunities for Americans to get outdoors.” The group will focus on increasing access to outdoor recreation through:

• Investing in resilient recreation infrastructure; Ex: Trails, Campgrounds, Docks etc.
• Bolstering education and career opportunities in conservation, outdoor recreation, habitat restoration and resource management work.
• Providing comprehensive visitor information on hunting, fishing, boating, birding, climbing and more.
• Improving equitable access to Federal lands and waters and creating a welcoming visitor experience in collaboration with private, public, Tribal and non-profit organizations.

You can learn more about Leave No Trace’s mission here, and read the White House Press Release here.

Photo by Gage Skidmore