Looking at the conservation of nature in terms of dollars and return on investment is not intuitive, but it is important. While the value of a beautiful sunset seen through clean air is infinite, the resources to ensure it exists ARE finite and subject to competing priorities. Some people argue we can't afford to protect nature as much as we want when we also have to feed the poor, provide health care to the sick, and support everything from fire departments to prisons to schools. To demonstrate that a simple "either-or" approach is misleading and inaccurate, The Nature Conservancy has worked it out. The benefits range "From helping to protect communities from floods and wildfires to improving our physical and mental health." The authors argue "Protecting, restoring and enhancing nature is an essential way to support thriving communities and economies in the United States." In other words, the money is well spent - in ways that can be quantified.
Drop a link to your elected representatives.
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/policy/natures-dividends/
While we're at it, what is the state of nature in the USA? The government is supposed to provide an annual assessment. It will shock no one that this isn't being done. Fortunately, non-government contributors have filled the gap. Here's the draft assessment.
A local example, Rocky Mountain National Park. Image: NPS
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