While a residential community, where I live abounds in wildlife. From the Muscovy duck families, highlighted by the 2 all-white babies that were born recently. The Egyptian geese who mate for life, always travel in pairs, and have a signature honk. The opossums that roam the land, mostly at night, and are part of the eco-system balance in our little corner of the world. The Heron cranes and Ibis that feed where they can. The sound of so many different birds as they greet the morning and bid a temporary farewell in the evening.
As I’ve matured, I appreciate more of Mother Nature every day. I seek out her signs of life, and respect them in every form. I’m the guy who will fill the bird feeders and carry treats for those ducks always gaggling about for anything that hits the ground. We're also the people who will set aside a spot and then protect mother ducks while they lay eggs and raise their newborns.
The places I’ve been, the things I’ve seen, the wonder of it all around me and that delicate balance between human and animal has struck me as another reason why I truly weep for the beauty of America as Donald Trump returns to office. History tells us this second term as President will return us to a very dark environmental time.
The man and many of his greedy followers have exacted more than a few permanent scars on the land, and undoing them will take years, perhaps even generations, if it now is even possible. Many won't even be aware of the crimes against nature that will likely be committed yet again.
Donald Trump’s administration left an undeniable scar on America’s environmental legacy, chipping away at protections for wildlife and public lands to fuel corporate profits. His rollbacks of essential environmental policies prioritized business interests over the conservation of endangered species, clean air, and pristine lands that belong to all Americans. The damage was swift and severe, and the repercussions will be felt for decades.
One of the most egregious examples was his revision of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2019. Under the guise of “modernizing” the ESA, Trump weakened critical protections that had safeguarded vulnerable species for decades. This new approach not only allowed for economic considerations when deciding on protections, but also effectively removed the requirement to consider climate change’s impact on habitats. It took years, but thankfully the Biden Administration rolled back these heinous acts. Though by that time, serious damage was already done.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) was thrown open to oil and gas drilling in a move that many environmental advocates condemned as “sacrificial.” This 19.6 million-acre sanctuary has long been a haven for polar bears, migratory birds, and caribou. Yet, in a bid to boost fossil fuel production, Trump’s administration auctioned off drilling rights, putting countless species and delicate ecosystems at risk of long-term harm. According to a 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report, these habitats faced dangers from oil spills, habitat fragmentation, and pollution, all risks that disproportionately affect wildlife.
Again, the Biden Administration overturned this madness. However, Trump has stated that he plans on once again tearing into the Arctic if given another chance.
The man is determined to suckle at the teat of corporate greed and destroy America, all for the sake of power.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the agency responsible for overseeing vast tracts of federal lands, became a tool for Trump’s pro-business agenda. Under his administration, the BLM opened over 9 million acres of Western lands, previously designated for conservation or recreational use, to mining and fossil fuel extraction.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a bedrock environmental law, was also gutted, allowing for faster approvals of large infrastructure projects without thorough environmental impact reviews. This change was a boon for corporations eager to sidestep accountability but disastrous for wildlife populations and public health. NEPA rollbacks meant that pipelines, highways, and drilling projects could proceed even if they destroy critical habitats.
Yes, the Biden Administration was forced to save America yet again from another vile action by Trump.
Public lands weren’t just subject to regulatory rollbacks but were also physically reduced. In 2017, Trump shrank the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah by a combined two million acres, the largest rollback of protected lands in American history. These monuments, rich in cultural artifacts and biodiversity, were intended to preserve both the nation’s natural heritage and the ancestral lands of Indigenous people. Under Trump, they became vulnerable to resource extraction. A study by the Center for Western Priorities estimated that opening these lands would produce billions of dollars for mining companies, but at the cost of irreplaceable cultural sites and rare ecosystems.
Furthermore, Trump’s decision to dismantle Obama-era climate policies led to higher greenhouse gas emissions and deteriorated air quality nationwide. His administration rolled back the Clean Power Plan, weakened methane regulations, and rolled back fuel-efficiency standards, all of which allowed more pollution to reach the atmosphere and harm wildlife. For example, increased carbon emissions and warmer temperatures contributed to the bleaching of coral reefs and shifting migratory patterns. According to a 2021 study by the Audubon Society, nearly two-thirds of North American bird species are vulnerable to extinction due to climate change, exacerbated by policies, such as those forwarded by Trump, that ignore ecological preservation.
In the name of “energy dominance,” the Trump administration also prioritized drilling on federal lands. A 2020 report from the Wilderness Society found that 90% of all federally managed land was available for fossil fuel extraction, leading to the widespread destruction of natural habitats. This approach undermined not only conservation efforts but also America’s long-term economic and environmental sustainability, as these projects threatened biodiversity, polluted water sources, and degraded air quality. The short-term profits secured by fossil fuel companies are nothing compared to the long-term damage inflicted on ecosystems that took millennia to form.
The Republican Party’s embrace of Trump’s anti-environmental agenda and the far-right’s denial of climate science further entrenched America in a divisive and dangerous environmental future. Trump’s loyalists, particularly within the MAGA movement, have scoffed at environmental regulations, labeling them as barriers to economic growth. They ignore the long-term ecological devastation and public health risks posed by unchecked industrial activity.
The irony here is dark: the very Americans who rely on clean air, water, and access to public lands are those left most vulnerable by these environmental rollbacks.
As of this writing, 123 members of Congress remain climate-deniers, and see no reason why the American environment needs protection.
Where do we go from here? Undoing Trump’s damage will take decades, if it’s even possible in light of his second term.The Biden Administration managed to undo much of his destructive policies, but ecosystems don’t recover on a presidential timeline. The precedent set by Trump’s first administration, that corporate profits outweigh environmental stewardship, empowered other politicians and corporate interests to disregard environmental protections.
To move forward, the U.S. must prioritize restoring regulations, respecting protected lands, and investing in sustainable energy. Only through accountability and decisive action can we hope to safeguard our environment for future generations. The lesson here is a dire one: ecological and wildlife protection must never be sacrificed at the altar of political gain.
Political gain is once again back in power, which bodes darkly for the wildlife, the land, the magnificence of America. One can only hope Trump tones down his anti-ecological aim and this time seeks to preserve instead of bludgeon.
This isn’t about “tree-hugging”. It’s about a balance, one that will allow man, animal and Earth to survive and grow. It's about what it actually takes to make America great again, replacing a sales slogan with real action.
It’s about common sense. Then again, as we have learned once again. common sense is not as common as might hope.
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