BLM Public Lands Rule brings balance to public lands management

A view from Handies Peak in Hinsdale County. The peak, which rises to 14,048 feet and is pictured in July 2011, is the highest point of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management outside of Alaska. (Bob Wick/BLM/Public Domain Mark 1.0)

As Mamas, we are constantly seeking balance, whether it is managing our responsibilities at work and home, finding time for our own interests, budgeting or, quite literally, when we are teaching our children to ride bikes or trek across a log over a stream. Balance keeps things in check and benefits all of us.

It is in the spirit of balance that the new Bureau of Land Management Public Lands Rule was penned. Previously, the management of these public lands has focused on other uses, while conservation has been left out of the equation. Drilling, grazing, ranching and recreation were taken into consideration, but not conservation and land preservation.

Until now.

Recently, the Department of the Interior announced a final rule to guide the BLM on managing resilient ecosystems that will weather a changing climate, protect existing landscapes that provide critical wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and take into consideration how communities are impacted by a changing world. These decisions will be made based on science, data and Indigenous knowledge.

While the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the act that supplied the BLM with its modern mission, does require the BLM to protect public lands, the Public Lands Rule provides guidance and resources to achieve it.

It will give land managers tools to protect, restore and maintain our public lands and waters. In Colorado, the BLM manages more than 8.3 million acres of our public lands.

This rule could not have come at a more crucial time. Our public lands are feeling the strain of climate change and increased use. Recognizing that we are at a pivotal point in time where we must preserve, protect and properly manage our public lands, the new rule will bring balance to today’s activities, which will also determine the state in which we pass these treasured lands to future generations.

About 4.3 million jobs are created across the U.S. through outdoor recreation, like wildlife watching, boating and hiking, on public lands. These activities contribute about $11.4 billion to the national economy, especially impacting gateway communities to these areas.

Our public lands are the backbone of our way of life in the Western states. They are where we teach our kids to fish, camp and hike. They are where we go ourselves to find solitude, recreate, and slow down from our busy lives.

Communities situated near these lands and waters are changing too. Some are experiencing the benefits of booming economies, while others scramble to maintain their way of life as once-sleepy towns get busier. About 4.3 million jobs are created across the U.S. through outdoor recreation, like wildlife watching, boating and hiking, on public lands. These activities contribute about $11.4 billion to the national economy, especially impacting gateway communities to these areas. Now, there will be new opportunities for people to engage in decision-making when it comes to issues that are close to home.

We are grateful that we are able to enjoy these varied and vast lands with our families. We believe it is our responsibility to care for them during our time here and maintain them for our kids, and theirs. This new rule will help ensure that these treasured lands remain healthy and ready to welcome future generations.

We would like to thank BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning for her leadership on the rule and  Colorado’s Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper for their support, and Montana Sen. Jon Tester.

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