Our Public Lands & Waters
Independent publication about U.S. public lands and waters, wildlife, conservation, and sustainable outdoor recreation.
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ourpubliclandsandwaters.substack.com
- Today, February 2, is World Wetlands Day, the anniversary of the Ramsar Convention of 1971. In the U.S., this day comes at a time when many of the legal tools that once mirrored Ramsar’s ecological understanding—the Clean Water Act of 1972 and Endangered Species Act of 1973—are being narrowed.
- Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is worth keeping an eye on in the next couple of years. It's the only national monument mentioned by name in Project 2025, the administration's guidebook for public lands destruction. #parkchat #publiclands #publiclandsandwater #protectpubliclands
- In these trying political times, don't be bald eagle. Be a turkey. Read my latest story, featuring Ben Franklin, below!
- No, this didn’t happen on public lands or waters. But it did happen on a public street. Which is equally as relevant. These are the places where common, normal, average, God-fearing, law-biding Americans live their everyday lives.
- While the U.S. government continues to dismantle its land management agencies and roll back environmental protections, Canada is doing the exact opposite. In the next 4-5 years, Parks Canada will attempt to create no fewer than ten new national parks. TEN! #nationalparks #parkchat #publiclands
- Self-proclaimed “public lands advocate” and one of the leaders of the so-called “House Public Lands Caucus” Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) just spoke on the House floor in favor of the Boundary Waters pollution bill (H.J. Res. 140) Remember this, folks. #conservation #protectpubliclands #publiclands
- Today at 3 pm EST, the House has a hearing on H.J.Res. 140, which would open a copper mine just upstream from the Boundary Waters. Please take a minute right now to contact the Republicans on the committee. Links to their social media and phone numbers in this article. #boundarywaters #publiclands
- "Do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am—a reluctant enthusiast, a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards." #publiclands
- According to a new peer-reviewed study, nearly two-thirds of U.S. river miles have no meaningful protection at all. Nationwide, only 19% of rivers are protected at a level scientists consider viable. In the contiguous United States, that number drops to just 11%. #publiclands #conservation
- Today, the Interior Department announced that it will open all its public lands and waters to hunting and fishing, except for those where individual managers or laws expressly prohibit them. #publiclands #conservation #publiclandsandwaters #hunting #fishing #wildlife
- If the U.S. were to seize Greenland—through purchase, pressure, or another coercive mechanism—it would almost certainly become federal land. Public land. Managed by Interior. By Doug Burgum. “We have all the ability to take on that responsibility [of managing Greenland],” he said. #publiclands
- In case you’re wondering where that relentless barrage of attacks on our public land, waters, and wildlife is (and keeps) coming from, there’s one very simple answer: Project 2025. #publiclands #protectpubliclands #publiclandsandwaters #conservation
- This year, I'll visit 10 threatened public land areas across the West. Examples include: - Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA - Ruby Mountains Wilderness, NV - Custer Gallatin National Forest, MT - Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, NM - Owyhee Canyonlands, OR #publiclands #conservation
- There’s a lot to say about the U.S. government’s actions in Venezuela, but one consequence could be that certain vulnerable places in America could be spared from drilling. #publiclands #publiclandsandwaters #protectpubliclands
- “There is just one hope of repulsing the tyrannical ambition of civilization to conquer every niche on the whole earth,” Bob Marshall wrote almost a century ago. "That hope is the organization of spirited people who will fight for the freedom of the wilderness.” #publiclands #conservation
- In this post, I share some thoughts on the previous twelve months, as well as some predictions for the year to come. During election years, politicians have no choice but to listen to their constituents. Let’s keep telling them what to do. This is not the time to stay silent! #publiclands
- The message Lee is sending with a new amendment to an appropriations bill couldn't be any clearer: the Interior Department should NOT be required to keep its national park units, national trails, or wild and scenic rivers. This is serious. Call your Senators today! #parkchat #nationalparks
- “Public access, visitor satisfaction, and recreation-based economic contributions will continue to decline in 2026 and beyond without direction to prioritize investments in recreation generally and the trails program specifically,” a new internal U.S. Forest Service report says. #publiclands
- George Washington is commemorated at many of our public lands, waters, and parks, including the Lower Delaware River, Valley Forge, and the Washington Monument. 226 years ago today, the United States was mourning its first president, a person who left his mark all over the place. #publiclands
- "Despite the Trump administration’s alarming trajectory on public lands in 2025, the future is far from certain. Protecting public lands remains deeply popular, and more people than ever are demonstrating with their precious free time how much they value these lands." #publiclands
- I said it last week! And today, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit challenging the new design (Trump's face) on next year's America the Beautiful pass, as well as the new category for nonresidents. #nationalparks #publiclands #parkchat
- Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and learn more about how our federal public lands and waters originated. #publiclands #protectpubliclands
- Jacob W. Frank is easily one of my favorite public lands photographers of our time. Having lived in seven national parks and worked at many more, he's created a phenomenal photography book, "Parklands: America's National Parks and Public Lands." See how you can win a copy (plus other fun stuff)!
- A last reminder that you can still win one of these 'America the Beautiful' passes! They're valid through December 31, 2026. Read more about my giveaway, which runs until 11:59 PST tonight, here: ourpubliclandsandwaters.substack.com/p/im-giving-... #nationalparks #publiclands
- “Under President Trump, we are making Christmas affordable again,” Interior Secretary Burgum said about the BLM's new $1 Christmas tree permits. The department claims that cutting Christmas trees promotes "forest thinning and hazardous fuel reduction across millions of acres." Absurd. #publiclands
- I had a chat with an editor from SFGate this morning about the possible illegality of Trump's face on next year's America the Beautiful pass. Here's the article! #nationalparks #publiclands #publiclandsandwaters #protectpubliclands
- There was a pretty sketchy closed-door meeting between Utah state and county officials and the Department of the Interior about Utah's national parks on Monday... #nationalparks #publiclands
- "I think Teddy Roosevelt must be tired from rolling over in his grave." - New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich when talking about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on the Senate floor today #publiclands #publiclandsandwaters #protectpubliclands
- On December 3, 1960, Wallace Stegner penned a lengthy letter that became one of the foundational texts of modern American conservation. Although brilliant, the Wilderness Letter was actually "just" a "comment letter" sent to public officials, in which he advocated for public land protections!
- Taxpayer-funded benefits flow directly to "ranchers" like Stan Kroenke, who's married to a Walmart-fortune heiress. We're, quite literally, paying billionaires to play rancher and destroy our watersheds in the process. #publiclands #publiclandsandwaters #protectpubliclands
- This week, I'm giving away three appropriate (as in: without Trump's face on them) America the Beautiful passes to paid subscribers to my Substack. Check out how to enter here! (And how to avoid this abomination of an annual pass next year.) #publiclands #nationalparks #protectpubliclands
- The story of the Sand Creek Massacre starts months before the actual event. Fueled by the media and amplified by influential opinion-makers, it involved fear-mongering, hate speech and "us-versus-them" talk that feels quite familiar in 2025. In the end 230 innocent Cheyenne and Arapaho were dead.
- Just in case you're thinking about visiting a national park or two next month! #nationalparks #publiclands
- Today, the Interior Department rolled out one of the biggest changes to national park access and fees in years, if not decades, and it will reshape how people—both U.S. residents and international visitors—get into places like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. #nationalparks #parkchat
- Let's turn off the news and remember why we care so much about our parks and public lands—remember how special it feels to actually experience those places. First performed on November 22, 1931, the 'Grand Canyon Suite' evokes that "national park feeling" unlike any piece of music in U.S. history.
- While 78% of Americans support the Endangered Species Act, the Trump administration is actively attempting to gut it. Meanwhile, a new report shows that fish and wildlife conservation generates $115.8 billion in economic activity and supports 575,000 jobs. #conservation #wildlife #publiclands
- The bill prohibits the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from transferring publicly accessible federal land—or land directly contiguous to it—to any non-federal entity. #publiclands #protectpubliclands #publiclandsinpublichands
- Now that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has ended, and rangers will start assessing and addressing damage in our national parks, the Senate's FY 2026 budget bill is as relevant as ever. It would fully fund the National Park Service, ensure adequate staffing levels, and more.
- Nearly seventy percent of Americans—a strong bipartisan majority—oppose the administration's proposed $1 billion cut to the NPS budget. Those cuts would be so severe they could force the closure of up to 350 park sites. See more fascinating poll results in this article! #nationalparks #parkchat
- In a letter sent to Secretary Burgum yesterday, twelve GOP Senators called conservation on BLM lands "a glaring example of federal overreach." Those Senators included Mike Lee (of course), but also Montana's Daines and Sheehy. Both are members of the recently created Senate Stewardship Caucus.
- More than four out of every five Americans are concerned about the environment, wildlife, and conservation, a new poll shows. Additionally, 72% of Americans say they'd rather vote for a political candidate who supports protecting wildlife. Why are basically no politicians paying attention to this?
- “Secretary Burgum’s ongoing cuts to the National Park Service are a recipe for disaster. Our national parks are the pride and joy of America—why would the administration threaten what the American public loves so much by cutting NPS funding and staffing?” #nationalparks #protectourparks #nps
- "When properly managed, our federal public lands can support outdoor recreation and the associated economic activity for generations with little environmental impact." #publiclands #nationalparks #conservation
- While the government remains shut down and NPS staff either furloughed or working without pay, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum spent this week in Abu Dhabi, speaking about AI and selling American oil and gas. #publiclands #nationalparks #nationalparkservice #climatechange
- The idea of national parks connected by bike corridors redefines what it means to explore public lands, turning the journey itself into part of the adventure rather than simply a drive between destinations. #nationalparks #publiclands #environment #utah
- Every year, a different national forest provides the majestic Christmas tree that's installed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, also known as "The People's Tree." This year, that tree is a 53-foot red fir from Nevada's Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. #publiclands #nationalforests #christmas
