Nature Is Nonpartisan Launches in the Center of America
The nonprofit brought influencers, political leaders, and conservation advocates together around a shared vision for a nonpartisan environmental movement
BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. – Nature Is Nonpartisan officially launched on March 20th, 2025, in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, the geographic center of America.
“We are redefining the environment as a nonpartisan issue in America once and for all,” said Benji Backer, Founder and CEO of Nature Is Nonpartisan. “Americans are sick of the loudest, most extreme voices controlling the environmental movement. At Nature Is Nonpartisan, we are building the future of nature in a way that truly transcends the divisiveness of modern politics and unites Americans around our shared love of nature.”
Nature Is Nonpartisan asked Americans of all political stripes and backgrounds to “meet in the middle.” They brought high-profile influencers, celebrities, and politicians together to promote the simple idea that the environment is an inherently nonpartisan issue.
Benji Backer further explains the mission of Nature Is Nonpartisan in his interview for CBS, which you can view here. And you can read more from Backer in his op-ed for Fox News here.
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden attended the launch of Nature Is Nonpartisan and signed an executive proclamation establishing “Nature Is Nonpartisan Week” in the state. You can find a photo of Governor Rhoden’s proclamation signing here.
The event was also championed by social media influencers Amir Odom, Kristy Drutman, Oleysa Rulin, and Chrissy Clark. You can find a photo of Odom, Drutman, Oleysa, and Clark here. And watch this clip from their roundtable discussion.
Belle Fourche Mayor Randy Schmidt and Robbie Lauf, Executive Director at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, delivered remarks supporting the launch of Nature Is Nonpartisan. You can find a photo of Mayor Schmidt here and a photo of Lauf here.
Nature Is Nonpartisan is a 501c(3) nonprofit that is set to become the nation's most influential environmental organization by creating a large-scale, cross-partisan movement dedicated to practical, long-lasting solutions. The Board of Directors includes David Bernhardt (fmr. DOI Secretary under President Trump), Jack Selby (co-founder of PayPal), Michael Brune (fmr. Sierra Club CEO) and Debbie Levin (CEO of the Environmental Media Association), and partners include the National Wildlife Federation, American Forests, Ducks Unlimited, and the American Conservation Coalition.
You can join the future of the environmental movement by signing the pledge at natureisnonpartisan.org.
