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Conservation Finance

Americans Voted Yes for Water, Wildlife, and Way of Life in 2025

At TPL, we help communities design and win ballot measures that create new public funding for parks and conservation. In 2025, voters across the country overwhelmingly approved five conservation finance measures in the November 2025 election plus one in August of this year in Washington, resulting in more than $1.9 billion secured in dedicated public funding for parks, open space, clean water, and climate resilience for communities in all of 2025.

So often, we’re told that Americans are impossibly divided. But when it comes to parks and land conservation, the story is different. We all agree that clean air, clean water, protected wildlife habitat, and time outside is essential. Outside, our differences get smaller, and our smiles get bigger. This year’s state and local elections bear that out once again.

“These victories reaffirm that protecting land, water, and habitat and ensuring close-to-home access to nature is not a partisan issue. It is a shared American value. From wildfire prevention in Colorado to outdoor access in Boise and water protection in Pennsylvania, voters in both big cities and small towns are sending a clear message: investment in nature and local economies is an investment in the future of these communities and of our country.”

—Will Abberger, Director of Conservation Finance at Trust for Public Land

Voters Say Yes to 6 Conservation Funding Measures in 2025

As a trusted leader in connecting communities to the benefits of the outdoors and advocating for equitable access to green spaces, TPL has actively assisted in designing and advocating for ballot measures in Washington, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Oregon in 2025. Each of these victories reflects TPL’s decades-long expertise in Conservation Finance—helping communities design, advocate for, and win ballot measures that unlock transformative public funding for parks, trails, natural areas, and climate resilience.

Read about the measures that TPL supported in 2025.

APPROVED

Ballot Issue 1A

Clear Creek County Emergency Services District

What it will do: Help prevent and suppress wildfires, protect watersheds, and sustain advanced emergency medical services

How it will work: Voters in the Clear Creek Fire District approved a property-tax increase to support the Clear Creek County Emergency Services General Improvement District, generating $23 million over 20 years.

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APPROVED

Clean Water and Open Space Levy

Boise

What it will do: Protect wildlife habitat, provide close-to-home recreational opportunities, improve access to open space, and enhance clean water for all Boise residents. It will also fund efforts to reduce wildfire risk.

How it will work: Homeowners in Boise will pay $9.89 per $100,000 of taxable assessed home value per year, based on current conditions. For most Boiseans, this is less than $50 dollars per year. The $11 million fund with which the city can buy and develop new parks, preserve open space, build new trails and pathways, and implement wildfire reduction methods.

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APPROVED

Community Preservation Fund

Town of Rochester

What it will do: Enable the town to compensate willing landowners to preserve their land in ways that protect water, farms, natural habitats, historic places, scenic areas, and rural character while allowing the land to remain in private hands and in productive use.

How it will work: A 1 percent real estate transfer tax, paid by the buyer when a property is sold, will generate $6.7 million over 20 years for the preservation fund.

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APPROVED

Safe Parks Levy

City of Portland

What it will do: Raise funds to keep Portland’s parks open, safe, and accessible, while also funding critical needs like wildfire prevention.

How it will work: It will renew and increase an existing property tax levy to raise $456 million over five years (beginning in 2026) that will be used to keep playgrounds safe, pools open, bathrooms clean, and trails clear. It also funds free and low-cost programs for every Portlander, and helps protect our natural areas through tree planting, wildfire prevention, and habitat restoration.

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APPROVED

Open Space Referendum

South Whitehall Township/Lehigh County

What it will do: Protect farmland, wildlife habitat, natural areas, and drinking water supplies; maintain and improve or develop land for conservation and recreation.

How it will work: If approved by voters, this measure will increase the earned income tax by 0.1 percent, generating funds that can be used to purchase and preserve undeveloped land, pay off debt associated with open space land purchases, and improve or maintain open space in the county.

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APPROVED - AUGUST 2025

Proposition 1

King County

In August 2025, King County voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1, the Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Levy, with 73 percent of the vote. The six-year property-tax levy will generate $1.4 billion to fund county, city, and park-district recreation areas; open spaces and trails; and beloved regional institutions such as the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium, Memorial Stadium, and Seattle’s Waterfront Park. Nearly half of the funding will improve park access; one-third will maintain clean and safe parks, and the remainder will help grow and connect regional green spaces.

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How We Turn Policy Plans Into Reality

Passing ballot measures that result in real change is no easy task. To do it, we offer a comprehensive suite of campaign services on a case-by-case basis. These include campaign planning, management, and fundraising; selecting and directing pollsters and other consultants; writing and producing digital, direct-mail, television, and radio advertisements; overseeing public education and get-out-the-vote programs; and managing compliance with campaign finance and lobbying registration and reporting.

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