A newly formed group wants to bring an end to the feud over conservation efforts in the U.S.
The group Nature is Nonpartisan addresses the issue, with the goal of reviving a more impartial environmental legacy.
Sixty years ago, there was almost unanimous support by lawmakers for passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act and the 1973 Endangered Species Act. Since then, the group's Communication Director Amelia Joy said the partisan back-and-forth has left communities behind.
"If there's anything that we can agree on, it's nature, it's stewardship, it's that our kids and our grandkids should be able to enjoy the same natural beauty that we do," said Joy. "And that's a point that no one can disagree with."
Nature is Nonpartisan supports the Senate Stewardship Caucus launched in 2025 by a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators.
The Caucus adopted a goal to advance bipartisan efforts aimed at protecting and expanding access to public lands and waters.
According to Joy, also 60 years ago, 80% to 90% of Americans self-identified as environmentalists. Now, polls show only 40% make that claim.
She said she believes depoliticizing environmental and conservation issues would foster bipartisan solutions for public lands and natural resources.
"When we talk to people about the actual issues," said Joy, "a sweeping majority – 90%-plus Americans – agree that the government has an obligation to ensure that all Americans have access to clean drinking water, that they have clean air, that we need to be protecting our endangered wildlife species."
Since returning to the White House for a second term, President Donald Trump has supported policies to open up public lands for commercial development by the oil and gas, mining, and timber industries – while transferring management of some National Park sites to states.
