Despite forces from the left working to radicalize environmental issues in recent years, American conservation is a deeply conservative movement rooted in love of country.
Abraham Lincoln, our nation’s first Republican president, created the U.S. Department of Agriculture to promote U.S. farming and laid the groundwork for the National Park System when he signed a law protecting the Yosemite Valley in 1864. Ulysses S. Grant went on to establish Yellowstone National Park, the first of its kind.
Benjamin Harrison set aside the first national forest reserves in 1891, creating the framework for conservation of today’s national forests.
Our nation’s most celebrated conservation champion, Theodore Roosevelt, preserved more than 230 million acres of land and led the reintroduction of the American buffalo.
In more recent years, Richard Nixon in 1970 created the Environmental Protection Agency by executive order and signed into law a dozen major environmental statutes, including the Endangered Species Act. Ronald Reagan led global efforts to save the ozone layer with the Montreal Protocol. President George H.W. Bush fought acid rain, pushing forward despite strong opposition from industry. Donald Trump had significant environmental and energy wins in his first term, including the Great American Outdoors Act and paved the way for new developments in nuclear energy.
This list goes on, but what makes the Republican Party truly a leader is our ongoing commitment to conservation and careful stewardship of what we value most. At our core, Republicans are preservationists.
We have long advocated that individuals and communities should make decisions about their land and resources. Private landowners, farmers and ranchers have often been the first environmental stewards, managing their land with an understanding of its needs and limits. From managing wetlands, creating wildlife corridors and promoting sustainable forestry, conservatives understand that local solutions often work best. Government intervention should be a last resort. In many cases, the free market and local communities are the most successful drivers of change.
Rather than relying on top-down regulations, conservatives support incentivizing sustainable practices through tax credits, grants and market-driven solutions. This allows individuals to make decisions while contributing to broader environmental goals. More than 20 years ago, I recognized the value of preserving my farmland and placed the first voluntary conservation easement in Hamilton County. Since then, in my roles as a board member and chairman of The Land Trust for Tennessee, the organization has protected more than 4,400 acres in Hamilton County and nearly 140,000 acres of farmland and forests across the state.
This year, I was proud to guide passage of the Farmland Preservation Act, historic legislation that establishes a grant fund to support farmers who voluntarily choose to protect their land for future generations. Together, these efforts continue to shape a stronger, more sustainable future for our state.
From an economic perspective, conservation makes sense for conservatives. A free-market economy relies on stable, long-term resources. The loss of biodiversity, depletion of natural resources and degradation of ecosystems all have economic costs that affect everyone. Whether it’s the collapse of wetlands, the decline of soil productivity or the destruction of forests and farms from unchecked development, environmental degradation threatens the economic foundation of society.
Protecting natural resources is essential to maintaining food security, a concern that touches every American household. Productive farms rely on healthy soil, clean water, pollinators and a stable climate. Without these natural resources, farmers, many of whom operate family owned, generational farms, struggle to grow crops and raise livestock. Strengthening domestic food production reduces reliance on foreign imports and upholds the conservative values of self-reliance, economic stability and national strength.
Conservation also plays a role in national security. For decades, conservatives have advocated for energy independence, which requires careful management of natural resources. Relentless fossil fuel extraction without regard for environmental impact makes the U.S. more vulnerable to foreign energy dependence and destabilizes the energy infrastructure. Promoting energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy and protecting carbon storing natural areas can ensure America remains self-reliant in a changing world. Finally, conservation is deeply tied to patriotism. America’s natural beauty is key to our national identity, from the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone and the vast American West. Protecting these lands preserves the American spirit and ensures we may continue to enjoy the outdoors.
As the challenges of environmental degradation grow, it’s crucial for all of us to step up and make conservation a priority. Conservatives will continue to lead the way in this important cause.
_ Greg Vital – Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, represents District 29 of the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes part of Hamilton County. He is the founder of Morning Pointe Senior Living. He was named the Tennessee Wildlife Federation 2024 Conservation Legislator of the Year.
