GCA Advocacy: Making a Difference in Conservation
The GCA’s History of Lobbying to protect National Parks, Clean Water, and the Environment
May 06, 2026
By: Lina Di Blasio
For over 110 years, GCA club members have actively restored, improved, and protected the environment. The GCA has sought to maintain the beauty and integrity of land and sea-- lobbying states in protest of billboards on roadways, campaigning to Save the Redwoods, publishing position papers to protect oceans, and promoting the sustainability of native plants.
The GCA’s earliest advocacy began in 1914 and included a call for the elimination of billboards — which would later include electronic billboards — on U.S. highways to preserve the natural beauty of America’s landscapes.
In 1924, the GCA formed the Conservation Committee amid growing concern about issues threatening the environment. The GCA soon collaborated with Save the Redwoods League and purchased a 2,552-acre redwood grove, later expanding it to more than 5000 acres, to protect and restore redwood forests. Collaboration continues today, and visitors can hike the GCA Grove in the summertime.
The National Affairs & Legislation Committee (NAL) grew from the Conservation Committee in 1968 to further influence federal legislation and policy initiatives related to conservation. Recently, NAL and Conservation Committees have highlighted policies that threaten national parks and wilderness and have encouraged members to contact Congress to reauthorize federal acts that protect public lands. The GCA provides members with resources that help them become effective advocates at every governmental level on issues important to GCA.
In 2022, the GCA initiated a national effort to establish a Native Plant Month in all fifty states. As of 2025, 43 states and the District of Columbia have enacted a Native Plant Month. Consistent with this initiative, the GCA’s Civic Improvement & Grants Committee funds hundreds of community projects across the nation that protect native plants, their habitat, and the wildlife these plants support.
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.jpg "From Wetlands and High Desert to Urban Forests and Pollinator Research, 130 Scholar Projects are Funded by GCA")
.png "Indiana’s State Flower: A Conversation About Change to a Native Plant")
