Government Reform

Essays and conversations on reforming the laws, agencies, and policies that govern America's public lands and waters.

Public Land Reform in the New Gilded Age

In looking towards a new era of public land management, we should focus on the root causes of our current problems, which have been fueled by corporate power, rather than compromise our foundational conservation laws yet again.

By Martin Nie

/ 15 Apr 2026

Public Land Reform in the New Gilded Age

Collaborative Conservation in a Time of Discord

Refocusing on locally-led problem solving and cooperative decision making may not be an easy or glamorous solution, but it is the only way to tackle the big challenges facing our public lands and waters. And it is exactly the kind of work our democracy needs right now.

By Lynn Scarlett

/ 30 Mar 2026

Collaborative Conservation in a Time of Discord

Rethinking Multiple Use Management of America’s Public Lands

Deciding the primary purposes and uses of more lands and waters could bring balance and health to our shared landscapes.

By Justin Pidot

/ 26 Feb 2026

Rethinking Multiple Use Management of America’s Public Lands

The Future of Common Ground

The status quo has been so thoroughly shattered that we have no choice but to forge a new consensus for how we manage our lands and waters.

By Tracy Stone-Manning

/ 9 Feb 2026

Reimagining Endangered Species Conservation in a Time of Crisis

The Endangered Species Act brought U.S. wildlife back from the brink, but new pressures—from a changing climate to anti-science ideology in Washington—threaten nature as never before. Instead of simply defending the status quo, we need new ideas, smart reforms, and a bold vision of abundant nature.

By John Podesta and Drew McConville

/ 9 Feb 2026

Reimagining Endangered Species Conservation in a Time of Crisis

American Exceptionalism and Our Public Lands: The Case for a New Public Lands Law Review Commission

Now is the time for Congress to form a bipartisan commission to rethink and renew the laws, policies, and agencies governing America’s public lands.

By Andrew Mergen

/ 9 Feb 2026

American Exceptionalism and Our Public Lands: The Case for a New Public Lands Law Review Commission