This April, I was fortunate to travel with representatives from Oregon’s land trust community to Washington D.C. for the Land Trust Alliance’s 2026 Advocacy Days!
I was joined by Joe Moll (McKenzie River Trust), Natasha Bellis (Deschutes Land Trust), Madison Kenney (Friends of the Gorge) and Sean Roome (Land Trust Alliance) to share about the amazing work of our members across the state.
Washington D.C. was bustling with advocates this week, and it was so energizing to represent Oregon’s land trusts on Capitol Hill—showcasing the real impact our members deliver for clean water, wildlife habitat, and resilient working lands—and to thank the lawmakers who champion our priorities.
We did not shy away from acknowledging the harmful impacts of the Trump Administration’s policies on conservation and the health of our environment and communities, and we continue to believe that protecting our natural resources and the health of our communities is – and should always be – a shared, bipartisan priority.
Over the course of two days, we met with the full Oregon delegation to outline our Farm Bill priorities, highlight the critical role of perpetual conservation easements in land trust work, and discuss key appropriations needs.
Advocacy Priorities
Farm Bill Requests: Robust funding for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP-ALE) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
- Ensure streamlined pathways to certification for land trusts;
- Provide additional cost-share options for easements; and
- Include the Forest Conservation Easement Program (FCEP) with mandatory funding.
Defending Conservation Easements: Conservation easements are voluntary agreements that provide public benefits such as improved water quality, farm and ranch land preservation, scenic views, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, education and historic preservation. We talked about the benefits of conservation easements during our meetings, emphasizing how important perpetuity is to ensure restoration and conservation investments endure despite landownership changes.
Appropriations Priorities: Appropriations season was in full swing while we were in D.C., so we had the opportunity to share about the importance of funding critical conservation programs such as:
- $100 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) in Fiscal Year 2027;
- The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA); and
- The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
You can learn more about the Land Trust Alliance’s federal policy priorities here.
We also attended meetings with representatives of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Here are some key takeaways:
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
- Protecting agricultural land through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP-ALE) is the agency’s top priority;
- Process improvements, including reducing closing timelines for land protection projects, is a top agency focus;
- NRCS is proposing a “One Farmer, One File” tracking system to allow applicants to monitor their project status in real time; and
- A USDA reorganization is underway, including a shift to regional “hub” structures, you can learn more here.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
- The Fish and Wildlife Service is also working on an agency-wide reorganization, aimed at aligning staff capacity with available resources;
- Programs like NAWCA are under heightened review, though funding announcements are expected soon;
- Partners have expressed a strong interested in maintaining and expanding the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, though agency representatives expressed concerns about growth in federal land ownership;
- They are in the midst of reviewing the agency’s refuge system, focusing on deferred maintenance and improving hunting and fishing access;
- The agency is interested in reducing regulatory burdens around implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and targeting “low-hanging fruit” species;
- Permitting streamlining (including updates to the National Environmental Policy Act) is a major focus area.
Forest Service (USFS)
- Core priorities: Wildfire response, active land management, energy/minerals development, and recreation access.
- The agency is facing severe staffing and budget challenges:
- ~30% reduction in key administrative staff
- Hiring freeze and major workforce losses (6,500 employees)
- Significant budget cuts in the most recent President’s Budget, including to the National Forest System
- Reorganization is focused at the leadership level, moving toward a state-based model. You can learn more here.
- Emphasis is on consolidation (not closures) of facilities due to high operational costs.
- Policy direction is shifting:
- Less emphasis on land acquisition
- Greater focus on infrastructure maintenance and the value of investments
- Increased pressure to streamline permitting, especially for energy and critical minerals
