The 30×30 Campaign to Save Nature 

Have you heard the term 30×30? As time ticks on toward the benchmark year of 2030, here’s what you need to know about the international movement to mitigate climate change and biodiversity decline, and AMC’s role in this important conservation initiative. 

What is 30×30? 

The term “30×30,” or “thirty by thirty,” refers to the 2021 goal established by the United States and world leaders to protect at least 30% of lands and waters by the year 2030. The scientific consensus is that 50 percent of the Earth’s land should be conserved by 2050 in order to sustain the functioning ecosystems that underpin all life, and 30×30 is an important benchmark in getting there. 

In 2021, the United States signed Executive Order 14008, “the first ever national goal for the stewardship of nature in America.” In 2022 over 190 countries adopted 30×30 policies at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which also commits to over 20 other environmental targets to achieve by 2030.  

What does 30×30 look like on the ground?  

30×30 takes many forms, all of it revolving around one simple concept: that land is one of the most important assets we have in the fight against climate change. Land and water conservation is occurring across legislation and policies, funding investments and the creation of new parks and wildlife refuges. For example, in 2023 the Biden-Harris administration partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Service and public and private partners to fund 74 grants through the America the Beautiful Challenge, supporting conservation projects across 21 Tribal Nations, 3 U.S. territories, and 46 states. The grants had a combined conservation impact of more than $153 million.  

Conservation needs differ from place to place, so 30×30 is driven by local and regional initiatives. In AMC’s region we contribute directly to 30×30 by acquiring, protecting, and sustainably managing forestland via the Maine Woods Initiative. We are currently in the process of purchasing the 29,000 acre Barnard forest, a potential Forest Legacy project and future stronghold for ecological resilience and climate adaptability. We also advance the policy work to achieve 30×30 by supporting other land protection projects with funding and advocacy. This can range from protecting big landscapes like the Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge across the four-state Connecticut River Watershed to empowering small, strategic land acquisitions across the Mid-Atlantic using Highlands Conservation Act grants. 

One of the main hallmarks of 30×30 is ensuring access to green spaces and the benefits of nature for everyone, no matter where they live. AMC’s advocacy for conservation funding includes a focus on underserved communities through the National Park System’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program, which announced an historic investment of $254 million in new grants to provide safe outdoor spaces in park-deprived areas. If Congress passes the EXPLORE Act, this program will be able to reach even more communities. 

Why does 30×30 matter?  

Land protection is climate action. Climate action is clean air, clean water, and quality of life for all.  

The natural systems and biodiversity that make our planet function are disappearing at an alarming rate. Land is our biggest asset in the fight against climate change, with 14% of U.S. carbon emissions absorbed by our forests, natural infrastructure buffering communities against weather extremes, and protected landscape connectivity providing strongholds for resilience. 

How is AMC involved?  

AMC staff and volunteers are on the ground every day protecting the places we love. We engage with decisionmakers to advocate for state and federal investment in conservation, most importantly the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Our role as a national leader of the LWCF Coalition is critical to protecting and growing funding for all kinds of locally driven projects, such as: 

• The South Branch Forest Project, which will protect 3,840 acres in Maine’s High Peaks Region, building on more than 70,000 acres of nearby Forest Legacy projects to provide connectivity for wildlife, sustainably support the local forest products industry, and secure public access for recreation, including 4 miles of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, 7 miles of  ATV/snowmobile trails, and thousands of acres for hunting. 

• The Jones Hill Connection Project, which will permanently conserve 105 forested acres in Ashby, MA with high strategic value to become a part of a large network of conservation land. The property is an upper headwaters area for cold-water fishery tributaries to the federally designated Wild & Scenic Squannacook River. 

• $6.9 million in ORLP grants will modernize and upgrade facilities at two of Connecticut’s much-loved parks: Cummings Park and West Beach in Stamford and Rockwell Park in Bristol.   

• The Quiapen Forest Project in South Kingstown, RI will conserve a 41-acre forest abutting the 1,100-acre Marion Eppley Wildlife Refuge–the culmination of a 14-year effort to protect an intact Atlantic White Cedar swamp, which is a globally threatened type of wetland ecosystem.   

• Two more recently announced ORLP grants will benefit underserved communities in PA. One will transform the long-closed Hillside Pool site in Reading into a vibrant community space that is ADA-accessible; the other will fund improvements at Connell Park in Scranton for ADA accessibility, natural infrastructure, a wellness loop trail, and more. 

• $1.375 million in ORLP funding will benefit the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network, which envisions a 48-mile network of urban trails linking diverse neighborhoods and providing equitable access to open space, human-powered transportation options, and recreation for people of all ages and abilities. 

• An 1,800-acre Forest Legacy project will establish a new Assamoosic Pinelands State Forest in southeast Virgina, where the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia will co-manage the property and reestablish the Tribe’s ancestral practices of land and water stewardship.   
  

How close are we to 30×30 goals? 

Across AMC’s 12-state region, about 22.5% of all land has been conserved on the local, state, and federal level through advocacy-driven policy, with the help of land trusts, non-governmental organization ownership, and land easements.  

New Hampshire has reached 30×30 with roughly 35% of its land conserved, thanks to the White Mountain National Forest–a legacy of AMC’s long history of conservation advocacy. Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware have conserved about 25%. Connecticut, New York, and Virginia have conserved about 20%.

Just because some states haven’t reached 30×30 yet doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey are set to meet the 30% goal of 30×30 if their current rate of conservation continues. At their current rate, Maine and Virginia could meet 30×30 by the middle of the century (2050). Connecticut and Pennsylvania could meet it by 2100.  

The last fifteen years have seen a significant increase in the role of nonprofit organizations, land trusts, and conservation easements as drivers of conservation. More states are recognizing the value of conserving land in combatting climate change and preserving clean air and water.   

The Ultimate Goal 

What happens after 30×30? The ultimate goal is something called the “Half-Earth Project,” a principle put forward by the late American biologist E. O. Wilson. The goal is simple: set aside half of Earth’s land and seas for nature. By doing this humanity will have conserved enough space to protect global biodiversity. Global biodiversity impacts agriculture, fisheries, bioenergy, and more and supports resilience against the impacts of climate change.  

Help Us Reach 30×30 

There are many ways you can support 30×30 initiatives locally, state-wide, federally, and with the AMC. Here are three ways to get involved today: 

• Find and support your local land trust by visiting, volunteering, or donating.  

• Sign up for our Conservation Action Network to stay up to date on initiatives near you.  

• Make sure you’re registered and have a plan to vote to support conservation initiatives and candidates who reflect your values.