Last week, I visited Piney Point Park in Maryland. It was cold and a little rainy, but it was also truly memorable to see bald cypress trees whose roots grew above ground and tiny little Carolina chickadees.

Wilderness areas like these bring back memories for many people – and they are critical to protecting wildlife.

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives had an important opportunity to conserve and expand some of America’s most cherished landscapes and wild places when they voted on the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act.

The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act is designed to secure millions of acres of wilderness and thousands of miles of rivers. It would also protect wildlife habitats in many parts of the country, including gems such as the Rocky Mountain National Park and the Mt. Hood Wilderness.

And that’s not all…

For all you hikers, birders, or just plain nature-lovers out there: It also permanently establishes a 26-million acre National Landscape Conservation System and adds trails around the country, ensuring that future generations will be able to see and enjoy our country’s majestic wild places.

The unfortunate news is that even though the bill had strong bipartisan support, it ended up falling just two votes shy from passing last week.

But there’s good news!

In the coming days, the U.S. House will have another opportunity to pass the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act.

So, find out how your representative voted on the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, and then encourage him/her to take this next opportunity to ensure this landmark legislation for our public lands and wildlife can finally become law!