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.
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.
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, it’s time to add a new chapter to America’s conservation legacy, with private lands, market-based tools, and bottom-up approaches at the center.
A law from 1887 broke up lands within Indian reservations, creating a “checkerboard” pattern and making it very difficult for Tribes to manage their lands. There is a fix for this.
