Takeaways from the Public Lands Defense Campaign

At a time when it’s easy to get discouraged by setbacks, it’s worth noting the large and small victories constantly happening. One recent major win came with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Senator Mike Lee had originally included a provision that would have allowed the federal government to sell off millions of acres of natural land and national forests to be stripped of resources or paved over for development. However, a bipartisan campaign led by communities and stakeholders alike successfully pushed Senator Lee to withdraw the provision.

The coalition included conservation groups, outdoor recreation advocates, progressive climate activists, and even conservative hunting organizations, all united in protecting public lands. The campaign was a major success driven by smart messaging that focused on local economic and cultural impacts to reach people across the political spectrum.

One of my favorite pieces of campaign messaging came from photographer Nate Luebbe who created images showing landscapes that could have been up for sale under Senator Lee’s plan. Visually powerful and to the point, the photographs let the beauty of these natural spaces speak for itself, reminding viewers just how precious (and fragile) they truly are, along with the punchy yet non-divisive slogan: “This Land is Not for Sale.” Amazing work!