With its scientifically proven benefits to physical and mental health, one solution to the national youth mental health crisis is to encourage youth access to nature and the outdoors. Multiple studies demonstrate nature can help relieve depression and anxiety in youth, and even help heal their traumas, with positive effects on physical and mental health, boosting concentration, improving social skills and even helping kids perform better in school.
Today, President Joe Biden signed the FY2022 omnibus spending package into law. The bill provides much-needed funding increases for vital government agencies and essential services, reversing years of cuts under the previous administration. The package also features important funding for the outdoors and nature access, including support for programs to protect community forests; develop parks and save green spaces in urban neighborhoods; and eliminate barriers preventing children, youth, and families from accessing public lands and waters.
The Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) sent two letters to Capitol Hill on Monday calling for members of Congress to pass the Environmental Justice for All Act and a proposed outdoor recreation legislative package being considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Nearly 30 outdoor recreation groups, youth advocacy organizations, and businesses sent a letter to Capitol Hill urging members of Congress to pass an FY22 budget that includes ambitious funding to expand access to the outdoors for all.
Today, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids called on Congress to maintain full funding for critical outdoors programs in the final version of the federal reconciliation bill. The package drafted by the House of Representatives includes nearly $35 billion in funding for federal programs to support community tree planting, urban parks development, nearby nature access, and youth access to the outdoors and nature. While these programs are popular and necessary for taking on the climate crisis, their full funding is being threatened by potential cuts to the $3.5 trillion package.
Reports emerged this month that Congress was considering massive cuts to the proposed Civilian Climate Corps in the Build Back Better Act to meet the fiscal demands of moderate Democrats. Such a move would severely limit the impact of the modern CCC, leaving many vulnerable communities at risk to the increasing threats of climate change. The modern CCC is consistently one of the most popular proposals in the reconciliation bill, with a majority of Americans — including a majority of Republicans — in favor of the program.
President Biden’s Build Back Better Act is a once-in-a-generation investment in the effort to tackle the climate crisis. One of the important but lesser known aspects of the package put together by House Democrats is the nearly $3.5 billion in funding to support urban and community forestry and green space development across the country, which are essential efforts for protecting our most vulnerable communities from the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
The federal reconciliation bill drafted by House Democrats is shaping up to be one of the largest investments in outdoor accessibility and equity in a generation.
FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the White House announced that President Joe Biden selected Charles F. Sams III to serve as the nineteenth permanent director of the National Park Service. Sams currently serves as a council member to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a position he was appointed to by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Sams would be the first Indigenous person to lead NPS. Sams has an extensive background working with Tribal Nations throughout the Pacific Northwest.