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Advocates for public lands will be walking up the steps of the U.S. Capitol on February 16, but this won’t be a sight-seeing trip.

It will be Capitol Hill Day, a key part of the Public Land Alliance’s 2017 Convention and Trade Show. Sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association, Capitol Hill Day is a chance to meet face to face with elected representatives and policy makers to help instill an appreciation for public lands with a new Administration and Congress.

“Local voices have a huge impact on the decisions made by members of Congress. We’re proud to sponsor this opportunity for the community to come together and educate Capitol Hill on the importance of public lands. There is no better time for this advocacy day than at the beginning of the 115th Congress,” said Emily Douce of the National Parks Conservation Association.

“Even if you don’t think policy is part of your job description, it’s a huge opportunity to engage and learn,” said Lyman Hafen, executive director of the Zion Natural History Association.

Hafen has attended past Hill meetings as a Board Director with the Public Lands Alliance and explained that with PLA’s guidance, he has found confidence in talking with elected officials.

“It wasn’t a natural thing for me,” he explained. “I’m not a policy person. I’m a storyteller. I’m here to tell the story of Zion,” he said. “So the idea of transforming myself into an advocate was really out of the norm for me. But I walked into a Congressman’s office and realized, I’m talking about who we are and what we do. I don’t need to go in with every statistic. PLA staff has that covered.”

Hafen went on to explain how important it is for elected officials to hear from nonprofits that work on public lands.

“Some people simply don’t know the story of how we partner and how impactful those partnerships are… This is an opportunity to walk into an office, sit down with people and share what we’re doing that’s really special. Hopefully, they will then be able to make better decisions as lawmakers and policy makers of the public lands we work with.”

A nonpartisan organization, PLA not only educates elected officials about the incredible value of public lands and the partnerships that enhance them – it leads advocacy efforts that directly affect these partnerships.

“As a nonprofit representative, your voice has never been more important,” said Dan Puskar, executive director of the Public Lands Alliance. “There's no better time to get our message out. We will encourage them to enact law and policy that leverage our expertise and resources for the benefit of public lands and their diverse visitors. What we say will help set the tone in Washington, D.C. for the next four years.”

Register now to take part.