The film highlights the many ways Latino communities across the U.S. connect with LWCF-funded parks, trails, and recreation areas– and the crucial role these spaces play in fostering culture, family, and community well-being. Featuring stories from Miami, Florida; Whitewater, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Rifle, Colorado; and Las Cruces, New Mexico, it captures the powerful relationships families, faith leaders, and local advocates have built with nature through the LWCF. 

“For more than 60 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been the single most important tool for expanding access to the outdoors in communities across the United States,” said Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “It has touched every county in the nation, providing funding for parks, trails, recreation areas, and natural spaces—from neighborhood ballfields to national treasures like the Grand Canyon and Gettysburg Battlefield. The impact of LWCF cannot be overstated. It has allowed children to play in safe community parks, families to explore nature close to home, and future generations to experience the beauty and history of our country. It connects people to the outdoors, regardless of where they live, and supports local economies through tourism and recreation.”

Since its creation in 1964, the LWCF has supported more than 46,000 projects, protecting millions of acres of public lands and improving access to nature in every state. LWCF reflects a long-standing promise: as we develop one natural resource, we invest in protecting another.  

“We appreciate that the Department of the Interior and the Administration are focused on addressing challenges such as wildfire preparedness, water quality, shoreline stabilization, and maintenance needs of our public lands. These are priorities we share. But, in meeting these goals, we look forward to working with the Administration to ensure we are not limiting the full potential of LWCF—a program that has already proven to be one of the most effective, bipartisan conservation tools in our nation’s history,” said Arce. 

While the LWCF itself remains intact, Secretarial Order 3442 changes how its funds are distributed, potentially shifting conservation priorities and limiting community access. The new rules can restrict certain land purchases unless approved by state or local political leaders, allow states to use LWCF funds for “federal surplus property” purchases—raising concerns that these changes would undermine equitable access to public lands and weaken the program’s core mission. 

First released in 2018, “Land, Water y Comunidad” explores the deep bond Latinos share with LWCF sites—what these places mean to them, how they are used and celebrated, and what would be lost if access to these lands were diminished. Hispanic Access Foundation invites the public to watch “Land, Water y Comunidad” and learn more about how the LWCF has transformed Latino communities across the country, and why protecting this legacy remains vital for future generations.