Protect All the Living Things:
Tell Congress to Pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
Our nation’s wildlife faces multiple threats in the form of land development that results in habitat fragmentation and degradation, disease, invasive species, pollution, and extreme weather disasters. According to the National Wildlife Federation, one-third of America’s wildlife species are at the risk of extinction. All categories of animals are seeing population declines, with 150 U.S. species already declared extinct, over 1,600 listed as endangered, and nearly 500 species have gone unseen for decades that are possibly extinct. This is not only an unfortunate loss of biodiversity but also harms humans ecologically and economically. Birds, bats, and other pollinator species play a vital role in agriculture by controlling pests, pollinating, and fertilizing plants. Our waters with healthy marine life are a source of sustenance and livelihoods. Outdoor recreation that relies on healthy habitats and wildlife populations generate billions of dollars annually. What harms our furry, feathered, and scaley neighbors also inevitably harms us.
In 2021, the UCC General Synod called on the church to “promote the Rights of Nature,” including the right to healthy habitats and the right of species to flourish. It recognized that as people of faith, we are stewards of the land and its inhabitants in our care. That is why we must act as faithful caretakers and call upon our leaders in Congress to reintroduce and pass the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. If passed, this legislation would provide $1.4 billion annually to states and territories and tribal nations to protect and conserve God’s creation through habitat restoration, invasive species control, and more. $98 million annually would go to conservation efforts led by Indigenous communities, the original stewards of this land. The conservation efforts funded by this bill would also create jobs and increase community resilience to climate disasters.
Let us take up our sacred responsibility to protect all life beginning with this land. Call on your representatives today!