Background on the Your Lands, Your Wildlife Campaign

Your Public Lands

The United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manage 449 million acres of land – that’s 20% of the land area of the U.S. - and play an essential role in protecting the nation’s wildlife and plants, as well as providing present and future generations of Americans with priceless natural, social and economic benefits.

Multiple Uses for Federal Lands

The Forest Service and BLM have historically managed their lands under a multiple use structure, flexibly designed to meet the changing needs of the American people. Unlike national parks and national wildlife refuges which are managed primarily for wildlife conservation, a multiple use structure requires meeting the nation’s demands for timber products, oil and natural gas, mining, grazing, healthy fish and wildlife, and quality recreation opportunities.

However, the laws governing multiple use dictate that no one single use can predominate an entire national forest or BLM unit. It is essential that the Forest Service and BLM strike a balance between these different uses in a way that does not impair the land and its ability to provide multiple benefits.

National forests and BLM lands provide more than just habitat for fish, wildlife and plants, they also provide:
 

  • Countless opportunities for adventure – National forests and BLM lands provide endless opportunities for camping, backcountry hiking, kayaking, rafting and canoeing, hunting, angling, wildlife viewing – even zorbing and geocaching.
  • Clean water – Approximately 3,400 towns and cities depend on National Forest System watersheds for their public water supplies.
  • Clean air and a national insurance policy against the uncertain effects of climate change – Natural landscapes store carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming and also provide sanctuary for wildlife responding to the pressures of a changing climate.
  • Social and economic benefits – The Forest Service and BLM are responsible for the sustainable production of timber, forage for grazing, traditional energy sources such as oil and natural gas, along with new energy sources such as solar and wind power.

Wildlife Threatened on Public Lands

Lesser Prairie Chicken, NRCSThe Bush administration has undermined the balance between natural, social and economic uses of our national forests, grasslands and BLM lands, unnecessarily threatening wildlife, clean water and world-class recreational opportunities. Healthy wildlife populations are a primary indicator of overall land health. Through the sustainable conservation of wildlife, the natural and historic legacy of our federal lands can be safeguarded.

Read about imperiled wildlife on public lands.