On Friday, I participated in the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors. The event assembled over 600 people to heighten awareness of the importance of conserving working lands for the benefit of all Americans, and to highlight the need to connect people to land, water, and wildlife, as described in their agenda.

I am grateful that several of Sustainable Northwest’s partners attended as well -- Northwest Connections, Wallowa Resources, The Forest Guild, American Forests, the Center for Rural Strategies. (Having a cohort of like-minded people at an event like this always makes the schmoozing easier.)

The event was convened by the highest levels of government. President Obama gave the keynote address, Secretary Ken Salazar opened the event, Secretary Vilsack gave a compelling set of introductory remarks and we heard from Lisa Jackson the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as Nancy Sutley, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. Some called it the conservation "dream team." 

The opportunity to share air-space with a sitting President is exciting for this political junkie and closet Patriot. On my cross-country flight from Portland, Oregon I tried to imagine what our President would say. I guessed he would talk about the importance of the environment coast to coast, to urban and rural, young and old, the affluent and the poor.

And, I wondered if President Obama would talk about the rural people whose livelihoods are inextricably connected to our nation’s conservation strategies? Would he remember to thank rural America for tending our soils, forests, and waterways; for producing our food, energy, and wood products? Would he acknowledge the guides and instructors that help countless urban American’s experience the great outdoors? Would he bring a positive, practical approach to conservation of our public and private lands? Would he be able to use the power of his words to bridge the urban-rural divide that has made conservation policy one of the most acrimonious, divisive issues in America?

When President Obama entered the room his physical presence electrified the space. People stood, clapped vigorously and cheered his arrival. You could feel the anticipation of great expectations in the beat of every hand clapping.

And while the President’s speech didn’t address all the topics I hoped or imagined he might, he said that conservation must be a top priority and that we must, as Teddy Roosevelt and others did, prioritize investments in conservation because it is an essential part of our strategy to end the economic crisis our nation has been experiencing. He was unequivocal about his commitment to conservation as a national priority. And with this swift and confident expression of intent, you could feel the relief in the room.

But the best quote I heard from the podium came from the Newark, New Jersey’s Mayor, Cory Booker. He said, 

"the gold under the concrete covering our nation’s cities is the soil." 

And I was struck that this statement, or belief, could only be held by someone with an imagination tied to hope and a heart committed to healing. That this very urban imagery provided a powerful link that ties urban, suburban, and rural America together without a shadow of doubt, and that is this shared earth. And we all must act as we can to play our part in its stewardship, whether that is in the weed infested abandoned lot of the inner city or the remote mountains of the West.

At that moment I realized how excited I was that next week I would be joined by many of Sustainable Northwest partners for the Western Week in Washington. On April 18, 2010 participants from the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition will arrive in Washington D.C. to reach out to decision-makers and interest groups about the importance of rural America in the stewardship of natural resources. I encourage you to follow our blog to learn more and read more about the issues we will be addressing.