Why It Matters

Federal conservation funding is under siege. The Trump administration is rolling back Biden-era conservation protections, proposing to redirect the Land and Water Conservation Fund from new acquisitions toward maintenance backlogs, and cutting funding for key conservation programs.

The Fund’s hiring of Checkmate Government Relations LLC—a firm with broad Capitol Hill networks but no conservation specialty—signals a strategic pivot. Rather than relying on specialized conservation expertise, the Fund is seeking wider political access to navigate budget wars and build unexpected coalitions. This is a play for influence across appropriations committees, not traditional environmental advocacy.

By the Numbers

The Conservation Fund is spending $90,000 with Checkmate Government Relations LLC for this quarter. The organization has spent approximately $6.84 million across 172 disclosures since 2003, relying heavily on in-house lobbying ($5.84 million) and specialized firms like Hollier & Associates LLC ($630,000 over 50 disclosures).

Checkmate’s diverse client roster spans healthcare, technology, finance, energy, and defense. Three lobbyists staff the account: Frederick Watson Vaughan, Christopher Joseph LaCivita Jr., and Charles Franklin McDowell IV. Only Vaughan has prior congressional staff experience. None bring documented conservation policy expertise.

The Agenda

The Fund is lobbying on "issues related to land and water conservation," historically focusing on appropriations for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, federal land acquisition programs, and conservation tax incentives. The hiring comes as Congress considers major bills on forest management, wilderness designations, farm conservation programs, and annual Interior Department appropriations.

Broader Context

The Fund launches this effort amid a transformed conservation landscape. The Trump administration has moved to rescind Biden-era protections, proposed opening 58 million acres of national forests to development, and approved Arctic oil drilling. The administration seeks to redirect $387 million from new land acquisitions toward addressing a $33.2 billion maintenance backlog.

Multiple 2025 government shutdowns have frozen conservation spending, while the administration proposed an 88% cut to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Farm Bill’s conservation title expired October 1, 2024, though reconciliation proposals include potential conservation funding increases.

Between The Lines

Congress remains active on conservation despite upheaval. Key battles include the Fix Our Forests Act addressing wildfire prevention, multiple land designation bills like the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, and the Forest Conservation Easement Program Act backed by Senators Gillibrand and Wicker, which names the Conservation Fund as a key supporter.

Committee hearings reveal tensions between acquiring new conservation lands and addressing maintenance backlogs—defining upcoming appropriations negotiations.

Competitive Landscape

The Fund operates in a crowded advocacy space. Trust for Public Land lobbies on land protection and Farm Bill forestry provisions. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District focuses on wildlife crossings and watershed protection. NDN Collective Inc. emphasizes tribal programs and climate justice.

Congressional champions remain active, with multiple bipartisan efforts advancing through committees on forest management, land designations, and conservation funding.

The Bottom Line

The Conservation Fund is adapting to turbulent conditions by hiring Checkmate for broad Capitol Hill access rather than specialized conservation expertise. This strategic shift reflects the Fund’s recognition that navigating regulatory rollbacks, appropriations battles, and maintenance-versus-acquisition funding debates requires influence beyond traditional natural resource committees. Success depends on building unexpected coalitions in an increasingly polarized environment where conservation competes with numerous other priorities for federal dollars.

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