The Upward Initiative places conservation covenanting at the center of its mission. The term “conservation covenanting” refers to a mechanism to permanently protect biodiversity on non-public lands. A conservation covenant includes “a voluntary agreement made between a landholder and an authorized body that aims to protect and enhance the natural, cultural and/or scientific values of certain land” [1]. Landholders continue to own, use, and live on their land while conserving its natural values, doing their part to turn the tide against climate crisis.
Places Worth Protecting
Major drivers in the decline of biodiversity throughout the world include habitat loss and degradation. Areas set up to protect biodiversity, commonly “protected areas,” can counter loss and degradation. Federal, state, and local authorities often create protected areas. The United States government, for example, can transform public land into National Monuments and National Parks. Transformation, however, can spark conflict between U.S. citizens, members of Tribal Nations, and the entities designing protections. Conservation covenanting removes authorities from the equation, empowering landowners to protect biodiversity where they live.
An Initiative For America's Future
In 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14008 to address climate crisis through federal policy. Section 203 called for the creation of the National Climate Task Force, an intergovernmental body charged with achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Additionally, in 2022, the Biden-Harris administration launched the “America the Beautiful” Initiative, prioritizing voluntary and community-based conservation efforts to restore and conserve 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030.
[1] Fitzsimons, J. A., & C. B. Carr. (2014). Conservation covenants on private land: Issues with measuring and achieving biodiversity outcomes in Australia. Environmental Management 54, 606-616.
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