30x30 Conservation Initiative: What Is It?

What is 30x30?

The 30x30 initiative is a commitment to conserve at least 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. This initiative is part of a larger movement that calls for more environmental protections and safeguarding of natural habitats.

The Biden Administration and 30x30

Shortly after taking office, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Interior to outline steps to achieve the President’s commitment to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by the year 2030, as recommended by scientists, in order to safeguard our health, food supplies, biodiversity, and the prosperity of every community. The Department of the Interior will undertake the process with broad engagement, including agricultural and forest landowners, fishermen, outdoor enthusiasts, sovereign Tribal nations, States, Territories, local officials, and others to identify strategies that reflect the priorities of all communities.

The Biden Administration will work to achieve this 30x30 goal by supporting local, state, private, and tribally led nature conservation and restoration efforts that are underway across America. Over the coming months, Interior will evaluate how to best measure and assess the country’s progress toward the 30x30 goal, to properly account for the many innovative and effective ways that communities are conserving their lands and waters for current and future generations.  

Importantly, the Department of the Interior has underscored that increasing recreational access to public lands and waters is a central component of the Administration's approach to conservation and 30x30. Essential to these efforts is the consideration of ways to achieve more equitable access to nature and its benefits for all people in America.

RVs, Outdoor Recreation, and 30x30

Because of the close relationships the RV Industry Association’s Government Affairs team has built with the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service over the years, the RV industry will be part of the conversation as the Department of the Interior and other agencies work to implement Biden’s Executive Order. In conjunction with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and other outdoor industry segments, the RV industry is committed to conservation and ensuring there will be stewards of natural resources and biodiversity for future generations. Well-managed and sustainable outdoor recreation activities align with 30x30 goals.

An advisory board will be established by the Department of the Interior to help guide the 30x30 initiative. The RV Industry Association, along with ORR, are working to secure representation on this emerging “30 by 30 Council” where we will ensure outdoor recreation, economic contributions, job creation, health and wellbeing, and balanced land use and increased access to outdoor recreation activities are considerations as new policies are developed across federal land management agencies.

It is likely that many 30x30 policies will impact mostly backcountry and natural areas but not the established front country campgrounds and places that RVers typically recreate.

The Bottom Line

The ultimate goal is to ensure that land use is balanced appropriately and effectively. There is a plan in place to protect, conserve, and increase outdoor recreation access to public lands. As a result, future generations will be able to experience the benefits of these outdoor spaces and experience a sense of shared connection and stewardship.