Patagonia sues Trump over reduction of American national parks

Environment · Lorenzo Brenna · 2017-12-08

Patagonia has sued the United States president, who is responsible for the largest reduction in protected area coverage in US history.

The outdoor life and outdoor activities are a quintessential aspect of American culture, well captured by John Muir, one of the fathers of conservationism. "I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." Yet the current president of the United States, Donald Trump, has embarked on a programme of reducing public protected areas, revoking their protection and leaving them at the mercy of mining, hydrocarbon exploration and construction. Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company founded by Yvon Chouinard, has firmly condemned this measure.

Ciclisti nell'area del Bears Ears National Monument — This is the first time a sitting US president has attempted to abolish a national monument established by a predecessor, and it represents the largest elimination of protected areas in American history © Patagonia

Trump cuts 8,000 km of protected areas

Last 4 December the president of the United States carried out the largest reduction in protected area coverage in US history, slashing two national monuments in Utah: the Bears Ears National Monument and the Grand Staircase, reduced by approximately 85 and 50 per cent respectively.

The president stole your land

In an official statement, Rose Marcario, CEO and president of Patagonia, attacked Trump's decision and questioned its legality. "Americans have already spoken loudly and clearly against the Trump administration's unprecedented attempt to eliminate national monuments. The administration's illegal actions betray our shared responsibility to protect these iconic places for future generations and represent the largest rollback of protected lands in American history. We have fought to defend these places since we were founded and we will continue that fight in court."

Pamela Shanti si arrampica sull'Indian Creek — "National monuments are a cornerstone of our national heritage and these lands belong not only to us but to future generations. We stand with the millions of Americans who have raised their voices for the protection of public lands. We hope that Secretary Zinke will remember his roots and his words and will protect these national treasures," said Patagonia president and CEO Rose Marcario © Patagonia

Patagonia sues Trump

Patagonia, together with a broad coalition comprising Native Americans, scientific institutions such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity, and environmental organisations such as the Sierra Club, has filed a lawsuit against the US president. According to the coalition, Trump's decision is contrary to the law and disregards the overwhelming public support for the protection of national monuments. The president is also said to have made the decision without visiting Bears Ears or meeting the Native tribes who consider those lands sacred and of great spiritual value.

Patagonia's role in conservation

The Californian company has been fighting to protect American wilderness for nearly thirty years and has played an important role in the establishment of numerous national monuments, including the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah and the Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VmjDNL0-lE https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=sRudUWG7e7A&has_verified=1

A spot for nature

Last August Patagonia aired a television commercial — the first it had produced in nearly 45 years — calling on the Trump administration to safeguard America's public lands for future generations. In the spot, Yvon Chouinard calls for the protection of wild areas, which were fundamental to his own development. "I've been a successful businessman because of all the lessons I've learned in open spaces. Public lands today are more threatened than ever because there are some selfish politicians who want to sell them off and make money from them. Behind the politicians are energy companies and big corporations that want to exploit these national resources. It's just greed — this belongs to us, it belongs to all the American people. It's our heritage. I hope my children and my grandchildren will be able to live the same experiences that I have lived."