Wildlife on Public Lands

Cutthroat trout. NPS photo by Ed Austin and Herb JonesAmerica’s public lands are synonymous with iconic fish and wildlife species such as pronghorn antelope, cutthroat trout, black bear, wolverine and mule deer. America’s wildlife face increasing pressures brought on by a changing world. A growing population and associated development, energy exploration and production on public lands, as well as a changing climate all combine to put stresses on our fish and wildlife populations on public lands. Healthy, sustainable wildlife populations signify healthy public lands, and healthy public lands provide countless benefits to people and communities across America.

America’s Wildlife Heritage Act brings a balanced, common-sense approach to wildlife management on our U.S. national forests and Bureau of Land Management lands. The legislation ensures that the fish and wildlife we currently enjoy on our national forests and BLM lands remain healthy and that populations remain sustainable into the future. The bill provides public land managers with sound, science-based tools for conserving wildlife – tools that help us fulfill our obligation to maintain America’s wildlife legacy for future generations.

History and Background

Wildlife planning on national forests is governed by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA). In 1982, to clarify NFMA’s wildlife planning requirements, the Reagan Administration enacted a simple approach to managing wildlife on our national forests. The “population viability rule” – dubbed the “Reagan wildlife standard” – simply directed the Forest Service to make sure that logging, mining, and other development activities on our public lands did not push fish and wildlife to the brink.

The Reagan wildlife standard allowed common species, including game species, to thrive, and kept more sensitive at-risk species off of the endangered species list. It emphasized long-range wildlife planning along with the provision of economic goods and other social benefits from our public lands. Unfortunately, since taking office, the Bush Administration has collaborated with industry lobbyists and development interests to eliminate Reagan’s common sense wildlife policies over the objections of conservation groups, sportsmen, and outdoor businesses.

Need for Stronger BLM Wildlife Management

The Bureau of Land Management is the sister-agency of the U.S. Forest Service. Both agencies manage large public estates for long-term public benefits and the provision of multiple uses and values, and each has a responsibility to maintain wildlife populations. However, the BLM has never enjoyed the wildlife conservation tools traditionally available to the Forest Service. With the recent emphasis on energy exploration and increasing awareness of the at-risk wildlife values on BLM lands, the time is right to refine and coordinate wildlife policy between these two agencies.

The Solution: America’s Wildlife Heritage Act

Enactment of America’s Wildlife Heritage Act will restore balance and common-sense science-based wildlife planning to the Forest Service, and extend those tools to the Bureau of Land Management. By making the policy the law of the land, we avoid the pitfalls encountered under the Bush administration, and ensure that future generations will have the same experiences on public lands that we enjoy.

The time is now for a balanced shift in public lands wildlife policy that ensures permanent protections for your lands, and your wildlife.

Learn more about the Your Lands, Your Wildlife campaign.


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