A Letter From the Executive Director

Dear Conservation Lands Foundation Supporter,

The past several years have shown us in so many ways the truth of the adage “the only constant in life is change” and I’m writing to you today to let you know of my decision to step down as executive director. I feel that I’ve led the Conservation Lands Foundation as far as I can over the last seven years and it’s time for new leadership and energy to carry the organization forward.

This is in keeping with my original philosophy that five years of being an executive director is too short and 10 years is too long. I’ve hit the sweet spot of that window and I’m very proud and gratified by all that you’ve helped the Conservation Lands Foundation team accomplish in defending and adding millions of new acres to the National Conservation Lands system during two administrations and a pandemic. 

In 2023, we secured new and defended existing public land protections for essential sources of clean air and water, sacred cultural sites, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation access:

• New protections for more than 1.5 million acres of public lands, including our priority campaign to establish the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada
• Significant legal victories against ongoing attacks on Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments and Red Cliffs National Conservation Area in Utah.
• Awarded nearly $2 million in grants to the Friends Grassroots Network
• Mobilized More than 36,000 letters to lawmakers and facilitated over 100 meetings with members of Congress in support of conservation
• Advanced administrative protections in the Western Arctic in Alaska and the greater Chaco Canyon region in New Mexico from oil and gas development
• Drove a record-level of public support for the newly proposed Public Lands Rule, which will put conservation on equal footing with other uses on lands stewarded by the Bureau of Land Management 
• Worked with community leaders and members of Congress to advance legislation in the U.S. Senate to protect the Dolores River Canyon in Colorado and the Owyhee Canyonlands in Oregon, among others
• Launched national monument campaigns to protect Chuckwalla in the California desert and the Owyhee Canyonlands
• Demonstrated robust community support for the proposed expansion of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California to protect Molok Luyuk

I’m proud to be leaving the Conservation Lands Foundation in good financial health and I know that with its best-in-class leadership team and staff, and stronger-than-ever network of Friends Groups it will achieve great success this year and beyond to protect the lands we all love and need. 

The mission of the Conservation Lands Foundation offers the greatest opportunity to protect nature in the U.S. and I look forward to watching all that you will accomplish together in the years ahead. 

My last day here is February 2. It’s been an honor to work on your behalf to protect National Conservation Lands and I wish all of you the very best. 

Sincerely,

Brian Sybert
Executive Director