By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
While most folks were watching fireworks, President Trump was signing something far more lasting—an Executive Order that could reshape how we care for the land we love.
It’s the kind of bold step we need to bring common sense back to how we manage the wild, wide-open spaces that make this country worth fighting for. The creation of the Make America Beautiful Again (MABA) Commission is about more than pretty trails and national parks. It’s about restoring common sense and local control in how we care for the land we love.
As a board member of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), I’ve long pushed for this kind of approach—where conservation doesn’t mean locking up our lands, but opening them to responsible use, careful stewardship, and future generations.
Now we’re seeing that vision take shape.
Fix what’s broken, don’t bury it in red tape
The MABA Commission, chaired by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, has a big job ahead: tackling a $23 billion backlog in our National Park Service and over $10 billion in overdue work on our Forest Service lands. We’re not talking numbers on a spreadsheet—we’re talking broken trails, locked gates, and family memories put on hold.
Washington red tape has sidelined the very people who know how to care for the land—ranchers, hunters, hikers, and small businesses who’ve been locked out instead of listened to.
The MABA Commission flips the script. It cuts the bureaucracy, clears the backlog, and gets folks back on the land—not in the courtroom.
Real science, not political science
One of the most exciting parts of this effort is its reliance on what Secretary Burgum calls “gold-standard science.” That means using real forestry data, not climate scare tactics, to fight wildfires, fix water systems, and protect wildlife.
That includes responsible thinning and logging—things we all used to agree on before Washington lost its ear for the West.
Out here, we’ve lived the consequences—raging fires that burn homes, kill livestock, and turn our skies to ash. This new commission understands that conservation isn’t passive. It’s active, local, and rooted in reality.
Unlocking economic growth through access
Outdoor recreation already pumps $1.2 trillion into our economy and supports 5 million jobs. But there’s so much more potential if we simply get government out of the way.
The MABA Commission aims to expand access for families who want to camp, fish, hike, and hunt on land they technically already own. It’s a boost for the economy—and a win for freedom.
At ACC, we’ve always believed that the people closest to the land know best how to care for it. This commission agrees.
Conservation from the ground up
What makes the MABA Commission truly different is its respect for the people actually living and working on the land.
Farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and local governments will finally have a say in shaping conservation policy—not just Washington insiders or radical activist groups.
The commission’s focus on voluntary conservation is smart and fair. It invites innovation and stewardship instead of punishing landowners with mandates.
A nation worth preserving
We’ve been through years of neglect. Our trails are falling apart. Our forests are overgrown. Our water infrastructure is aging. And worst of all, many good-hearted Americans who want to help have been blocked by bureaucracy.
But this moment marks a turning point.
With President Trump’s leadership and Secretary Burgum’s boots-on-the-ground approach, the MABA Commission is poised to get things moving. It’s not perfect—and it won’t be easy—but it’s the right move at the right time.
If we get this right, our kids and grandkids won’t just read about America’s beauty in books. They’ll experience it firsthand—from the Colorado backcountry to the coasts of Maine and beyond.
Let’s get back to beautiful.
Let’s get back to work.
Let’s make America’s wild places something we can be proud of again.
Heidi Ganahl is an entrepreneur, policy advocate and prominent conservative leader in Colorado. She is a board member of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), where she champions free-market and community-driven environmental solutions. Ganahl is also the founder and president of Rocky Mountain Voice, a center-right media platform, and previously launched Camp Bow Wow—now North America’s leading pet-care franchise. A University of Colorado Regent from 2017 to 2023 and the 2022 Republican nominee for governor, she also founded SheFactor and the Fight Back Foundation, and hosts the “Unleashed with Heidi” podcast, where she promotes liberty, accountability and grassroots leadership.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.