Conservation Update
Diana Stromberg
National Affairs & Legislation Conference 2023
It’s time to register for the NAL conference! The A in GCA stands for Advocate and this conference brings together GCA members from all over the country to learn more about GCA’s current focus on legislation and federal policy initiatives that reflect our purpose. The NAL Conference will be a hybrid event this year and will run from Sunday, March 12 through Wednesday, March 15. Petra Moran will represent SLGC at the conference. Mark your calendar for the one-hour virtual Advocacy Training Workshop. The workshop is open to ALL GCA members February 23. Registration for the workshop is available now on the GCA website under the NAL Committee page.
Zone 10 Conservation News:
Conservation chair, Mindy Bartholomae, shared important news recently regarding GCA’s work promoting the passage of both the Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act as well as the Growing Climate Solutions Act. Both important pieces of legislation were included in the omnibus spending bill that Congress passed last year. The Growing Climate Solutions Act takes a major step forward by quantifying the carbon sequestration power of soil and provides farmers with another way to monetize their acreage. The GCA played an instrumental role in the writing of the Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act which supports the propagation and planting of native plants in our National Parks. Our ongoing advocacy for both bills paid off!
RAWA - Recovering America’s Wildlife Act:
Unfortunately, RAWA was not included in the omnibus spending bill released on Tuesday. The content of the bill is not an issue, and RAWA continues to garner bipartisan support. Thank you for the effort you put into contacting your legislators. The GCA did everything it could to support this important legislation and, while we are disappointed, we are not giving up! The GCA will continue to advocate for RAWA and its principles of protecting biodiversity.
National Native Plant Month Initiative (“NNPMI”):
All 50 states have either submitted or are putting the finishing touches on their proposed proclamations and letters to their Governors to make April 2023 “Native Plant Month.” The NNPMI effort has engaged GCA club members around the country, generating positive energy and spreading the word about the importance of native plants. A special thank you go to committee members Nancy Linz and Bennett Burns (along with Peggy Mayfield and SLGC President, Cynthia Druckenbrod) who make up the “dream” of leadership for this effort.