The Trump administration is poised to reverse a Biden-era policy aimed at protecting public lands from development and climate impacts.
Under a new proposal, many of these lands would no longer be conserved or preserved for recreation but instead used for coal mining, gas and oil drilling, timber production, and agricultural grazing.
What’s happening?
As the New York Times reported in early September, the current administration is moving forward with plans to change the management of public lands, which make up approximately one-tenth of the country’s landscape.
Public lands previously set aside for conservation purposes, outdoor recreation, and renewable energy projects may be used instead for fossil fuel and timber production.
“Public lands management is a balancing act, and you just tipped the scales back to the 19th century, when robber barons ran the country, exploiting our lands for personal gain,” Jennifer Rokala from the Center for Western Priorities said in a statement, also suggesting that those who hunt, fish, and hike will be against the rule rollback.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, meanwhile, has insisted the rollback is better for the United States.
“The previous administration’s Public Lands Rule had the potential to block access to hundreds of thousands of acres of multiple-use land — preventing energy and mineral production, timber management, grazing and recreation across the West,” Burgum said in a press release, announcing the change.
Urging the administration to reconsider, Kent Ebersole of the Outdoor Industry Association said in a separate release that this proposal would harm businesses that depend on tourism and recreation in natural spaces.
Why are public lands important?
The preservation of U.S. public lands has improved equitable access to green spaces and outdoor recreation. People who don’t privately own large properties, for instance, can connect with nature to appreciate its beauty and significance.
Spending time outdoors has also been linked to improved physical and mental health and contributes to local economies.
“America’s public lands are the engine of the $1.2 trillion outdoor economy and should be protected so future generations can continue hiking, climbing, and recreating in our most cherished places,” Ebersole said. “The rescission of the public lands rule would not only prevent accessible outdoor recreation on these vital lands but also hurt the small businesses and gateway communities that rely on it.”
Communities and ecosystems have both historically benefited from major and meaningful land conservation projects, which protect the biodiversity essential to food systems and water supplies while also enabling carbon capture.
What’s being done to protect America’s public lands?
As critics like Ebersole call on officials to amend this decision, outdoor enthusiasts, small business owners, and others may do the same and even encourage elected leaders to help protect public lands at the state level.
Various conservation efforts remain underway across the country.
This summer, the Blue Creek watershed in California was returned to the Yurok Tribe, which will help restore forests and salmon populations there after a long history of impacts from the logging industry.
Another recent example involves bipartisan legislation in Wisconsin aimed at keeping a land-purchase program up and running. The Wisconsin grant program has already helped to purchase over 723,000 acres. A similar program in Maine has helped to preserve around 600,000 acres of land.
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