Thousands Ask Senator Portman to Protect Our Parks

Cincinnati, Ohio—Wednesday morning hunters, businessmen, and Councilmember Chris Seelbach gathered at the Cincinnati Zoo to call on Senator Portman to protect our parks by standing up for bedrock conservation laws, namely the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Antiquities Act

“Our beautiful parks and green spaces are some of the most important assets in our City,” said Cincinnati Councilmember Seelbach. “We need a forward looking plan to protect our wild places. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is an important tool for creating and sustaining these community treasures.”

The Protect Our Parks Coalition has been working to protect parks, monuments, and wild lands from attacks in congress and is supported by hundreds of everyday Ohioans, small businesses, conservationists, hunters, and families who value their local parks. The Antiquities Act has protected iconic places like the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument. LWCF has provided essential funding for the places like the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Eden Park. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor recreation industry generates $22 billion in consumer spending, supports more than 200,000 jobs, and pays nearly $7 billion in wages and salaries in Ohio alone.

“There have been over 75 attacks on our bedrock conservation laws in the 114th Congress, despite the previous bipartisan support for these programs,” said Joe Heegaard, organizer with Protect Our Parks. “Citizens, businesses, and organizations across the state will continue to push for reauthorization and full funding of the LWCF, and the protection of the Antiquities Act and urge Senator Rob Portman to stand with Ohioans and protect our parks.”

Over 1,500 citizens and over 250 hunters and fishers have called upon Senator Portman to defend the LWCF and the Antiquities Act from attacks in Congress. Inspired by the love of local parks, broader wilderness areas, and national monuments, as well as the economic and health benefits of outdoor recreation, citizens across the state are gearing up to protect the last remnants of our wild places.

The Antiquities Act, passed in 1906 by President Roosevelt, has been used by 16 presidents since its enactment and the LWCF has been used to fund and expand national, state, and local parks since 1965—Hamilton County alone has received almost $10 million in non-taxpayer funding from the LWCF.

About Protect Our Parks

Protect Our Parks is a statewide campaign to demand protections for two of our nation’s bedrock conservation tools: the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Antiquities Act. Representing hunters and anglers, hikers and bikers, parents and environmentalists, businesses and community organizations alike, Protect Our Parks aims to protect one of America’s greatest assets -- our system of protected parks and lands -- for generations to come.