Land and Water Conservation Fund
Since 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has funded the acquisition of land and interest in land to safeguard natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans.
Congress permanently authorized the LWCF in 2019 and in 2020 enacted full funding of $900 million annually, allocated among the BLM, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service and state and local governments.
The BLM uses LWCF to support recreation projects and to enhance access to public land, waters and resources, under the direction of the bureau’s National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships office.
- Contact your local BLM office for more information about the LWCF or to nominate land for acquisition.
- Learn more about the BLM’s land acquisition process.
- View an interactive map of completed LWCF acquisitions.
Program contact | Robert Wandel, rwandel@blm.gov, 725-328 2850
Acquisitions Map
Funding Requests
The Great American Outdoors Act requires the President’s annual budget request to include a proposed allocation of LWCF for consideration during the annual appropriations process. In fiscal year 2023, the Department of the Interior proposed to allocate $70.877 million for BLM mandatory LWCF programs.