In Moab, the Grand County Commission recently passed a resolution supporting President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative. This program is working to keep 30% of our country in its natural state. I think we would all agree that if we disturb too much of the earth’s surface, it will be impossible for natural processes to function and climate change would be just the tip of the iceberg.

America the Beautiful operates on the simple scientific premise that keeping land in its natural state is one of the most effective and sustainable ways to keep our planet (and its inhabitants) healthy. And while we are at it, we know that all people need access to healthy landscapes and opportunities in nature.

Green space of all types is in high demand, a trend that the pandemic has intensified. Well-run cities and towns across the country are planning with nature in mind for all of their citizens. Land in its natural state has economic value that will only appreciate over time.

Not only does the America the Beautiful Initiative help combat climate change by protecting enough of the earth’s surface to keep the planet functioning, the program is also poised to provide important economic benefits to communities across the country. When cities and towns invest in access to natural places, quality of life improves and businesses invest. People want to live where they can get outside and companies want to locate where they will be able to attract and keep employees.

America the Beautiful will help us with climate change and economic development. All types of lands will help in our goal to protect the earth’s natural processes — from restored and reclaimed industrial sites to private lands in their natural state to state and county parks to our most pristine wilderness. Every acre can contribute.

Thousands of communities across this country now understand what Native tribes have known for centuries — that people and land can and should live in balance, each supporting the other in sustainable harmony. Rural Americans have long worked the land for its rich and diverse bounty, and in return, have been charged with keeping those lands healthy.

The America the Beautiful Initiative is a framework we can use to break the dichotomy between development and conservation. We can find the right balance between use and preservation by pursuing a collaborative approach to conservation, supporting locally led and locally designed efforts, using science as a guide and honoring private property rights. It’s not an “either/or” choice when it comes to public lands or economic growth, but rather a “both and more.” This framework preserves public lands for all — all families, all vocations, all businesses and all generations.

The Biden administration has made clear that America the Beautiful is a locally driven initiative in which nearly every county in America could use to their advantage. If you are a western county with large amounts of public land, are you optimizing that use to keep your air and water clean? If you are an eastern county with very little green space, what steps can you take to make nature available to your citizens?

Today’s challenges require new ways of thinking about the land around us and the America the Beautiful Initiative is an opportunity to do just that.

Mary McGann is chair of the Grand County Commission.