For 150 years, the Appalachian Mountain Club has worked to protect and connect people with the outdoors. Now, Massachusetts has a rare opportunity to build on that legacy by securing lasting funding to protect the places we love for generations to come.
More than 100 conservation partners are working together to advance the Protect Water and Nature Initiative, a proposal that would dedicate a portion of existing sales tax revenue from sporting goods to outdoor recreation and conservation. If passed, it would generate an estimated $100 million each year to conserve land, expand recreation, and protect water quality across the Commonwealth.
Nature for Massachusetts Coalition event at the Massachusetts State House. Photo by Amanda Garza.
Together with the Nature for Massachusetts Coalition, AMC is helping bring the measure directly to voters as a ballot question in November 2026.
What Is the Protect Water and Nature Ballot Initiative?
At its core, this effort is about investing in the natural resources that sustain us and bring us joy.
If passed, the ballot question would direct a portion of existing sales tax revenue—from items like camping gear, golf clubs, fishing equipment, and other sporting goods—into a new, dedicated Nature for All Fund. This funding would support:
- Protection of forests, farms, wetlands, and open space
- Improvements to parks, trails, and outdoor access
- Safeguards for clean drinking water
A public oversight board would guide how funds are spent, ensuring transparency and accountability.
AMC Professional Trail Crew in Baldplate State Park. Photo by Amanda Garza.
Other states, including Virginia, Georgia, and Texas, have taken similar approaches and created reliable, long-term funding streams that invest hundreds of millions of dollars annually into conservation and outdoor recreation.
The vision in Massachusetts is clear: everyone, and every community, deserves access to clean water, green space, and the benefits of time spent outdoors.
Why This Moment Matters
This isn’t just another policy proposal. It’s a time-sensitive opportunity.
Across Massachusetts, we are in the middle of a major generational transfer of land. Farms, forests, and undeveloped parcels are changing hands as landowners retire or sell. In each case, there is a choice: conserve the land or develop it.
That decision happens once.
Conservation tools like easements and land acquisition only work at the moment of transfer. Once land is developed, the opportunity to protect it is lost. A dedicated, consistent funding source is what allows conservation organizations and communities to act when it matters most.
At the same time, shifting federal priorities have made state-level investment more important than ever. With uncertainty around federal conservation funding, Massachusetts has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to lead.
AMC Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, Massachusetts. Photo by Jamie Malcolm-Brown.
How You Can Get Involved
To put the Protect Water and Nature Initiative on the November 2026 ballot, supporters must collect 21,000 signatures from registered voters this spring.
This is the final step in a process that has already shown strong public support, with more than 90,000 signatures collected last fall. The next phase runs May 8th through June 14th, and it will take a strong, statewide effort to reach the finish line.
It’s a tight window, and it’s a moment in which showing up can make a real difference. Here’s how you can get involved:
Volunteer to Collect Signatures
This is the most immediate need. No experience needed! You’ll receive everything you need: training materials, fact sheets, FAQs, and even a recorded 20-minute training to get started. You can also sign up for an upcoming virtual training.
Spread the Word
Stay connected by signing up for the email list. Share the information you learn with your family, friends, and neighbors. Let your community know that this is a moment worth paying attention to, and what’s at stake.
Looking Ahead
AMC Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, Massachusetts. Photo by Jamie Malcolm-Brown.
Opportunities like this don’t come around often. With broad support, a clear path forward, and real momentum, Massachusetts is closer than ever to securing long-term funding for conservation.
If the required signatures are not collected by June 14th, the next opportunity to bring this issue to voters would be 2028. That delay would come at a cost—lost time, lost opportunities, and landscapes that may not be recoverable.
The choices we make today shape the landscapes we’ll have tomorrow. Now is the time to act.