Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared 23 species extinct, including the ivory-billed woodpecker. In response, Nicole Gentile, senior director for Public Lands at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The rapid loss of our natural spaces, coupled with the impact of climate change, is pushing more species into extinction every year. That’s why it’s critical to conserve 30 percent of the nation’s lands, waters, and ocean by 2030, a goal also known as 30×30. Our country loses a football field’s worth of natural areas to development every 30 seconds. Protecting 30 percent of our land and water would reduce extinctions and protect our food supplies, drinking water, and clean air.
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For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at shananel@americanprogress.org.