Public Land Debate: State Takeover Remains an Unpopular, Unworkable Idea

Public Land43
Over the last few years, a small group of politicians and ideological activists have been promoting the idea that national forests and other public lands should be handed over to state management. Their efforts attracted attention last winter, when the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was taken over by a group of armed activists who also called for all wildlife refuges, national forests, and other public lands to be transferred to states and sold off for private development.

Last week, MWF Executive Director Dave Chadwick was invited to participate in a debate over public land management with Ken Ivory, a state legislator from Utah who advocates the state takeover of public lands.

The debate spotlighted yet again the many reasons why handing national lands to state management is a fundamentally flawed, unworkable idea.

In calling for the state takeover, Ivory harshly criticized national public lands and suggested that national forests need to be managed like backyard gardens. He recommended that the federal government revive nineteenth century land disposal policies and transfer national public lands to state control. Under state management, these lands could be used to maximize revenue from oil drilling, logging, and mining in order to balance state budgets.

Offering a defense of national public lands, Chadwick focused on the many benefits that public lands provide for wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and the economy. He cited data on the economic benefits produced by both resource development and outdoor recreation on public lands. Finally, he noted the overwhelming public support for protecting public lands for all Americans and opposition to transferring lands to state management.

We’ve known for a long time that the state takeover of public lands would cut off public access and ruin wildlife habitat. Rejecting the multiple-use approach to public land management would be bad for hunters, anglers, hikers, bikers, and every other public land user. Budget realities would force states to manage lands for maximum revenue and ultimately sell them off.

In addition to being a bad idea, last week’s debate confirmed that the state takeover of public land is also completely unworkable. The whole concept is full of unanswered questions, empty promises, and speculative assumptions. During the 90 minute discussion, Mr. Ivory couldn’t answer the most basic questions from the audience about how state transfer or management would actually work, even if it were a good idea.

The state takeover of public lands has received more than its fair share of attention over the last few years – and it has been thoroughly rejected by the democratic process. It continues to move forward only because of the efforts of well-funded ideological lobbyists and headline-grabbing incidents like the takeover of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Public land management is a complex issue that merits thoughtful action and bipartisan agreement. Reforming wildfire funding, supporting local collaboration, expediting timber harvesting and restoration to improve forest health, and fully funding federal land protection programs are all ideas that enjoy bipartisan support. Speculative philosophical debates about state management of national public lands do a disservice to the American people.

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Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Conservation Director

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.