National Forest Foundation Teams with USDA Forest Service for New Outreach Campaign

The “Nature Connects Us” campaign fosters a deeper public connection with forests and grasslands.

• By Robert Yaniz Jr.
• Feb 29, 2024

In a concerted effort to deepen public engagement with America's natural landscapes, the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and the USDA Forest Service have unveiled the "Nature Connects Us" campaign. This initiative seeks to enhance the public's bond with the country's national forests and grasslands, emphasizing respect, inclusivity and the acknowledgment of these areas as ancestral tribal lands.

According to a release dated Feb. 26, multiple Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging consultants and organizations collaborated on the campaign’s development to make national forests more accessible and welcoming to all communities. By promoting respectful and mindful visitation, the initiative underscores the physical, spiritual, mental, emotional and economic benefits these natural spaces offer.

“We recognize how important it is to encourage a connection to stunning public lands to the greater public, especially in a way that feels all-encompassing, which is ultimately why the Nature Connects Us campaign came to life,” NFF President/CEO Mary Mitsos, said in a statement. “Through holding space for respectful, inclusive, and responsive conversations, we aim to welcome all peoples to enjoy the outdoors in a manner that amplifies who they are as an individual and members of a larger community.”

Central to the campaign is the Lakota concept "Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ," meaning "we are all related," which reflects the interconnectedness of nature and humanity. Accordingly, the initiative represents a commitment to honor the ancestral homelands of American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations, according to Forest Service Chief Randy Moore.

“The Forest Service has an important responsibility for managing millions of acres of lands and waters that are the ancestral homelands of American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations,” Moore said via statement. “This campaign is an opportunity to honor these tribes and their connection to these landscapes, and to help all peoples and communities realize the benefits provided by national forests and grasslands.”

The largest collaborative effort between the Forest Service and the NFF to date, the "Nature Connects Us" campaign represents a step forward in public land management and community engagement. For more information, visit the campaign's website.