Why It Matters

The Trust for Public Land reported $150,000 in lobbying expenses for the second quarter of 2026. That marks a modest decrease from the prior quarter but represents a sustained commitment to land conservation efforts amid proposed federal budget cuts.

By the Numbers

The $150,000 second-quarter spend reflects a slight pullback from the first quarter's $165,000, though it remains elevated compared to 2025 spending. Throughout 2025, the organization reported $15,000 quarterly expenses through mid-year, then jumped to $165,000 in the fourth quarter before holding relatively steady into 2026.

Broader Context

Congress has rejected Trump's proposed funding cuts to conservation in its spending bills. The Senate fiscal year 2026 Interior bill provides $41.45 billion in total funding and explicitly rejects efforts to shortchange public lands.

The Revitalizing America's Schoolyards Act, introduced in April 2026 by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), would authorize education grants for schoolyard revitalization. The Trust for Public Land has endorsed the Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act, which Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) announced with input from the organization's federal climate policy director.

Congress is weighing steep cuts to public lands funding. The proposed fiscal year 2026 budget would slash conservation spending by 35 percent compared to 2024 levels, with the National Park Service facing more than $1 billion in operational cuts representing over 31 percent of its budget. The National Park Service also lost approximately 2,400 employees, or about 12 percent of its workforce, following January 2025 budget restructuring.

Against that backdrop, the Trust for Public Land is focused on preserving funding for land conservation programs, land protection initiatives, active transportation and trail infrastructure, and the Farm Bill. The organization has also engaged on Department of Defense readiness and environmental protection matters.

The Bottom Line

The organization operates its own in-house lobbying team, led by four registered federal advocates. The group includes Jessica Montoya, Senior Director of Federal Affairs for Park Equity; Bart Johnsen-Harris, Director of Federal Climate Change Policy; Reed Perry Jr., Director of Federal Relations for Trails and Tribal Lands; and Mykel Bybee, Legislative Director.

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