citizen voice in land use decisions - blm.gov

Citizen Voice in Land Use Decisions

progresses from examining the scale of public lands, to analyzing the BLM timeline, and then assessing possible public engagement strategies.

Curriculum ConnectionsThis unit supports Standard D4.8.6-8 of the College, Career, and Civic Life Framework, published by the National Council for the Social Studies: “Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in their classrooms and schools, and in out-of-school civic contexts.”

The activities address the following essential understandings:

•Publiclandsbelongtoallofus.

•Managingpubliclandshasbeenacrucialfederal government responsibility for more than 200 years.

•FLPMAistheprimaryfederallawthatauthorizesthe BLM’s activities and provides for public involvement in land management decisions.

About the Bureau of Land ManagementThe BLM cares for about 245 million acres of federally owned public lands, mainly in the Western United States and Alaska. These lands, representing about one-tenth of our nation’s land area, belong to all U.S. citizens. In addition, the BLM administers 700 million acres of mineral estate across the entire country.

Dear Teacher,Welcome to this Classroom Investigation Series unit about the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) mission and how the agency’s founding law focused and shaped that mission. The unit’s three activities introduce students to public lands, the history of the BLM’s precursor agency all the way back to 1812, and how citizens can help influencelandusedecisionstoday.

Although designed for middle school students, the unit can be adapted for high school and upper elementary levels. The activities encourage students to examine the principles of “multiple use and sustained yield,” research segments of the BLM’s historical timeline, and identify ways citizens can participate in the land use planning process. Students engage diverse cognitive skills such as interpreting graphics and assessing various civic action strategies.

The unit supports innovative strategies in education, such as:

Social and emotional learning: Students participate in small groups in which they work together, listen and speak to one another, and collaborate.

Interdisciplinary instruction: While the unit provides facts about the BLM’s history and foundational law, it also addresses key concepts in civics. Students explore how the FederalLandPolicyandManagementActof1976(FLPMA)invitesthepublictoparticipatein shaping land use decisions. For each avenue of involvement, students assess how likely they would be to take the action and how much of an effect they think the action might have.

Thefirsttwoactivitiestakeone45-minuteclassperiod each, and the third activity takes two 45-minute class periods, for a total of four periods. The activities work best as a collective unit that

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Publiclandsareusedformanypurposes.Theysupport local economies, providing the U.S. with coal, oil and gas, forest products, livestock forage, and other commodities. As a haven for plants and wildlife, the lands play a critical role in habitat and resource conservation efforts, and they encompass important historical, archaeological, and paleontological sites. Open spaces on public lands offer places for people to play, learn, and explore. Some BLM lands are designated as part of the National Conservation Lands, a network of lands afforded special status and managed almost exclusivelytoconservetheirscientific,cultural,educational, ecological, and other values.

The BLM is responsible for managing public lands under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield in a manner that best meets the current and future needs of the public. With so many resources and uses, the BLM’s job is challenging. Thankfully, countless partners, volunteers, and communities provide invaluable support, helping the agency carry out its stewardship mission. To learn more about your public lands and how you can get involved, visit http://www.blm.gov.

The Importance of Balanced Land ManagementEvenbeforeFLPMA’spassage,manyBLMofficialsadheredtotheprinciplesofmultipleuseand sustained yield. Multiple use means BLM-managed lands are used for a variety of purposes, such as recreation, oil and gas exploration, wind energy, wilderness areas, livestock grazing, scenic views, coal mines, archaeological resources, and forest products. Sustained yield means that, unless otherwise directed by law, the BLM supports resource use on public lands in a manner that ensures the resource will be available to

future generations. The law directs the BLM to help meet today’s needs for resources in balance with conserving resources for future generations.

BeforeFLPMA,themandatetobalancemultipleuse and sustained yield was unclear, and more than 3,000 different pieces of legislation guided the agency. Carrying out parts of numerous major laws on topics such as grazing, wilderness, and mining challenged the agency. With the passage ofFLPMA,theBLMhadanexplicitmandateandauthorizationforitsmaintasks.Thelawclarifiedthe BLM’s responsibilities for:

•Withdrawinglandfromthefederalestate(saleof public lands to individuals, corporations, or state and local governments).

•Involvingthepublicinlandusedecisions.

•Collaboratingwithlocalofficialstoenforce the law.

•Exchanginglandwithstateandlocalgovernments.

•AcquiringnewlandsusingtheLandandWaterConservation Fund.

•Managinggrazingareasandfees.

•Protectingwildernessandwildernessstudyareas.

•Managingwildhorsesandburros.

•Managingminerals.

Through Congress, the American people assigned the BLM and its precursor agencies a number of jobs and mandates over the years. The General LandOffice,createdin1812,disposedofmorethanabillionacresofpubliclands.FLPMAformalized the decision to end the policy of disposing of public lands (except through the Homestead Act extension in Alaska, which was in effect until 1986). Through the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, Congress asked the U.S. Grazing Service

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to apply science and conservation practices to the management of grazing on public lands. Previously,overgrazing—alongwithpoordrylandfarmingpractices,drought,andhighwinds—haddamaged grasslands and contributed to the Dust Bowl. In a 1946 reorganization of the government, theGeneralLandOfficeandGrazingServiceresponsibilities were combined and assigned to a new Interior Department agency called the BLM.

By 1964, Congress recognized the challenge the BLM faced in executing parts of thousands of laws, and lawmakers created a commission to make recommendations on rationalizing land management. That effort resulted 12 years later inFLPMA,withitsfocusonbalancingmultipleuse with sustained yield and encouraging citizen engagement in managing their public lands.

Table of ContentsActivity 1: Two Centuries of Public Land

Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Activity 2: Public Land, Public Voice . . . . . . . . .11

Activity 3: The Question in Brookdale . . . . . . . .15

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Activity 1: Two Centuries of Public Land Management

For the TeacherThis activity addresses the following essential understandings:

• Publiclandsbelongtoallofus.

• Managingpubliclandshasbeenacrucialfederal government responsibility for more than 200 years.

OverviewThisisthefirstofthreeactivitiesthataddresses the history of the BLM andFLPMA.Thisactivityintroducesstudents to:

• ThescaleofpubliclandsandBLM-managedlands.

• Thetimelineofmajorlandmanagementevents since the 1812 founding of the General LandOffice.

• ThearrayoflawsunderwhichtheBLManditsprecursor agencies have operated.

Time Estimate45 minutes

Learning ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto(1)definethemaintypes of federally managed public lands and (2) describe key events in the history of the BLM and its precursor agencies.

Teacher Preparation1. Distribute or arrange to display

the“OurPublicLandsMap.”

2. Printfivecopiesof,orprovidecomputeraccessto,the“OurPublicLandHeritage:From the GLO to the BLM” timeline, available here: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/About_historytimeline.pdf. Or print the simplified 2-page version provided on pages 4 and 5.

3. Make enough copies of the “Timeline Handout”foreachstudent—thereisadistincthandoutforeachofthefivesmallgroups.

4. Provideflipchartpaperandmarkersforthefivegroups.

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Procedure

4. Ask students to develop a news report script and visual aids to explain their section of the BLM history timeline to the rest of the class in a 2-minute “TV broadcast.” To prepare, students will need to examine their section of thetimeline,answersomequestionsaboutthat section, take notes, and assign roles suchasnewsanchor,fieldreporter,writer,illustrator, and director.

5. Invite groups to “air” their 2-minute news segmentsinchronologicalorderuntilallfivesections of the timeline have been explained to the class.

6. Reconfiguretheclassintooneunitandask:What do you think are the major changes in federal land management since the founding of the U.S.? How would you explain multiple use and sustained yield in your own words?

1. Showordistributecopiesofthe“OurPublicLands Map,” and describe the federal land management agencies. Other federal land management agencies include the National ParkService,U.S.ForestService,andU.S.Fish and Wildlife Service. Describe the major categories of lands managed by the different agencies—forexample,nationalparks,national forests, national wildlife refuges, and national monuments. Also, note that the BLM manages more federal land than any other land management agency.

2. Explain the group work task: to develop a 2-minute simulated TV news report on one segment of the history of U.S. land management.

3. Dividetheclassintofivegroupsofroughlyequalsize, and distribute onecopyofthe“OurPublicLand Heritage: From the GLO to the BLM” timeline per group along with enough copies of the Timeline Handout for each student.

Adaptations to Consider

Assessment

Work with students to develop a rubric for the TV newscasts.

Ask students to produce and record actual video footage of their reports, and circulate links to the videos to other classes and parents.

As a substitute for the TV newscast, ask groups to develop and present 2-minute radio advertisements, electronic brochures, or slideshows that explain their portion of the timeline.

Circulate among groups to ensure students are understanding and accurately relating the information from the timeline.


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Our Public Lands MapThe Bureau of Land Management manages approximately 245 million acres of federal lands. Other land management agencies, such as theU.S.ForestService,NationalParkService,and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manage the remaining 300-plus million acres of federal lands. National parks and wildlife refuges allow very little

activity beyond education and recreation, while national forests and BLM lands accommodate multipleuses—meaningthattheselandsareused for logging, oil and gas drilling, coal mining, mineral extraction, cattle grazing, renewable energy facilities, recreation, wildlife habitat, and more.

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Our

Pub

lic L

and

Her

itage

: Fro

m th

e GLO

to th

e BLM

TI

MEL

INE

The

chal

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e of

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agin

g pu

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arte

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eric

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lic la

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LO) w

as c

reat

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port

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nat

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l goa

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ver t

ime,

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ever

, val

ues

and

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udes

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rdin

g pu

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land

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ifted

. Man

y si

gnifi

cant

law

s an

d ev

ents

led

to th

e es

tabl

ishm

ent o

f the

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eau

of L

and

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agem

ent (

BLM

) and

laid

the

foun

datio

n fo

r its

mis

sion

to s

usta

in th

e he

alth

, di

vers

ity, a

nd p

rodu

ctiv

ity o

f Am

eric

a’s

publ

ic la

nds

for t

he u

se a

nd e

njoy

men

t of p

rese

nt a

nd fu

ture

gen

erat

ions

. ww

w.b

lm.g

ov/h

isto

ry

1776

Decl

arat

ion

of In

depe

nden

ce is

si

gned

.

1778

Seco

nd C

ontin

enta

l Con

gres

s be

gins

per

suad

ing

stat

es to

ced

e la

nd to

cre

ate

the

publ

ic d

omai

n.

1785

Land

Ord

inan

ce a

llow

s set

tlem

ent

of p

ublic

dom

ain

land

s an

d es

tabl

ishe

s th

e go

vern

men

t’s

rect

angu

lar s

urve

y sy

stem

.

1789

U.S.

Con

stitu

tion

give

s Co

ngre

ss

the

“Pow

er to

dis

pose

of a

nd

mak

e al

l nee

dful

Rul

es a

nd

Regu

latio

ns re

spec

ting

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Terr

itory

and

oth

er P

rope

rty

belo

ngin

g to

the

Uni

ted

Stat

es.”

180

3O

hio

beco

mes

the

first

sta

te

crea

ted

from

the

publ

ic d

omai

n.

1812

Gen

eral

Lan

d O

ffice

is e

stab

lishe

d w

ithin

the

Trea

sury

Dep

artm

ent

to o

vers

ee d

ispo

sitio

n of

ced

ed

and

acqu

ired

land

s.

1824

Offi

ce o

f Ind

ian

Affa

irs is

es

tabl

ishe

d in

the

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rtm

ent

of W

ar a

nd is

late

r tra

nsfe

rred

to

the

Depa

rtm

ent o

f the

Inte

rior.

1837

On

its 2

5th

anni

vers

ary,

the

Gen

eral

Lan

d O

ffice

has

65

dist

rict l

and

offic

es.

1843

“Gre

at M

igra

tion”

on

the

Ore

gon

Trai

l beg

ins.

1844

Firs

t geo

logi

cal s

urve

ys o

f pu

blic

land

s ar

e in

itiat

ed b

y th

e G

ener

al L

and

Offi

ce in

Mic

higa

n.

1849

Depa

rtm

ent o

f the

Inte

rior i

s es

tabl

ishe

d an

d th

e G

ener

al

Land

Offi

ce is

tran

sfer

red

to th

e ne

w d

epar

tmen

t.

1850

Firs

t rai

lroad

land

gra

nts

are

mad

e in

Illin

ois,

Alab

ama,

and

M

issi

ssip

pi.

1860

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t Pon

y Ex

pres

s rid

er le

aves

St

. Jos

eph,

Mis

sour

i.

1862

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este

ad A

ct e

ntitl

es s

ettle

rs

to 1

60 a

cres

of p

ublic

land

afte

r th

ey re

side

on

and

culti

vate

the

land

for 5

yea

rs.

Tran

scon

tinen

tal R

ailro

ad A

ct

give

s ra

ilroa

d co

mpa

nies

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ts-

of-w

ay a

nd a

ltern

ate

sect

ions

of

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ic d

omai

n la

nds

alon

g bo

th

side

s of

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r rai

lroad

s.

1869

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t tra

nsco

ntin

enta

l rai

lroad

is

com

plet

ed a

t Pro

mon

tory

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mm

it, U

tah.

1872

Gen

eral

Min

ing

Law

iden

tifies

m

iner

al la

nds

as a

dis

tinct

cl

ass

of p

ublic

land

s su

bjec

t to

exp

lora

tion,

occ

upat

ion,

an

d pu

rcha

se u

nder

stip

ulat

ed

cond

ition

s.

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blis

hmen

t of Y

ello

wst

one

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iona

l Par

k m

arks

a s

hift

from

di

spos

ition

to c

onse

rvat

ion

and

prot

ectio

n of

fede

ral l

ands

.

1877

Dese

rt L

and

Act a

utho

rizes

the

disp

ositi

on o

f 640

-acr

e tr

acts

of

publ

ic la

nds

to h

omes

tead

ers

upon

pro

of o

f rec

lam

atio

n of

the

land

s by

irrig

atio

n.

1878

Tim

ber a

nd S

tone

Act

aut

horiz

es

the

nego

tiate

d sa

le o

f lan

ds th

at

are

valu

able

for e

ither

logg

ing

or

min

ing

and

othe

rwis

e un

fit fo

r cu

ltiva

tion.

1889

Okl

ahom

a La

nd R

ush

begi

ns

the

disp

osal

of f

eder

al p

ublic

do

mai

n la

nds

in O

klah

oma.

1894

Care

y Ac

t aut

horiz

es tr

ansf

er o

f up

to 1

mill

ion

acre

s of

pub

lic

dese

rt la

nd to

sta

tes

for s

ettli

ng,

irrig

atin

g, a

nd c

ultiv

atin

g pu

rpos

es.

1897

Fore

st M

anag

emen

t “O

rgan

ic”

Act t

rans

fers

fire

pro

tect

ion

resp

onsib

ilitie

s fo

r for

est r

eser

ves

from

the

Depa

rtmen

t of t

he A

rmy

to th

e G

ener

al L

and

Offi

ce.

1898

Cong

ress

ext

ends

hom

este

ad

law

s to

Ala

ska.

190

6An

tiqui

ties A

ct p

rese

rves

and

pr

otec

ts p

rehi

stor

ic, h

isto

ric, a

nd

scie

ntifi

cally

sig

nific

ant s

ites

on

publ

ic la

nds

and

crea

tes

natio

nal

mon

umen

ts.

1911

Wee

ks A

ct p

erm

its th

e fe

dera

l pu

rcha

se o

f priv

ate

land

to

prot

ect t

he h

eadw

ater

s of

rive

rs

and

wat

ersh

eds

and

calls

for

coop

erat

ive

fire

prot

ectio

n ef

forts

.

1916

Stoc

k Ra

isin

g Ho

mes

tead

Act

au

thor

izes

hom

este

ads

of 6

40

acre

s and

sepa

rate

s sur

face

righ

ts

from

sub

surfa

ce (m

iner

al) r

ight

s.

1920

Min

eral

Lea

sing

Act

aut

horiz

es

fede

ral l

easi

ng o

f pub

lic la

nds

for p

rivat

e ex

trac

tion

of o

il, g

as,

coal

, pho

spha

te, s

odiu

m, a

nd

othe

r min

eral

s.

1926

Recr

eatio

n an

d Pu

blic

Pur

pose

s Ac

t allo

ws

conv

eyan

ce o

r lea

se

of p

ublic

land

s to

sta

te a

nd

loca

l gov

ernm

ents

for o

utdo

or

recr

eatio

n pu

rpos

es.

1934

Tayl

or G

razi

ng A

ct a

utho

rizes

gr

azin

g di

stric

ts, g

razi

ng

regu

latio

n, a

nd p

ublic

rang

elan

d im

prov

emen

ts in

wes

tern

st

ates

(exc

ludi

ng A

lask

a) a

nd

esta

blis

hes

the

Divi

sion

of

Gra

zing

(lat

er re

nam

ed th

e

U.S.

Gra

zing

Ser

vice

) with

in th

e De

part

men

t of t

he In

terio

r.

1937

Ore

gon

and

Calif

orni

a (O

&C)

Re

vest

ed L

ands

Sus

tain

ed Y

ield

M

anag

emen

t Act

requ

ires

O&

C Ra

ilroa

d la

nds t

o be

man

aged

for

perm

anen

t for

est p

rodu

ctio

n an

d pr

ovid

es fo

r wat

ersh

ed p

rote

ctio

n,

regu

latio

n of

str

eam

flow

, and

re

crea

tiona

l fac

ilitie

s.

1939

Alas

kan

Fire

Con

trol

Ser

vice

is

crea

ted

with

in th

e G

ener

al L

and

Offi

ce to

pre

vent

and

sup

pres

s fir

es o

n Al

aska

pub

lic la

nds.

1942

Exte

nsiv

e w

ithdr

awal

s of

pub

lic

land

s fo

r mili

tary

and

def

ense

use

be

gin,

with

mor

e th

an 1

3 m

illio

n ac

res

with

draw

n in

2 y

ears

.

1946

Bure

au o

f Lan

d M

anag

emen

t (B

LM) i

s es

tabl

ishe

d w

ithin

th

e De

part

men

t of t

he In

terio

r th

roug

h th

e co

nsol

idat

ion

of th

e G

ener

al L

and

Offi

ce a

nd th

e U.

S.

Gra

zing

Ser

vice

.

1953

Out

er C

ontin

enta

l She

lf La

nds

Act a

utho

rizes

the

Secr

etar

y of

the

Inte

rior t

o le

ase

min

eral

la

nds

mor

e th

an 3

mile

s of

fsho

re; t

he B

LM a

ssum

es

resp

onsi

bilit

y fo

r lea

sing

thro

ugh

com

petit

ive

sale

s.

1954

Recr

eatio

n an

d Pu

blic

Pur

pose

s Ac

t am

ends

the

1926

act

and

al

low

s th

e sa

le a

nd le

ase

of

publ

ic la

nds

for o

ther

pur

pose

s in

add

ition

to re

crea

tion.

The

BLM

reor

gani

zes

and

crea

tes

a st

ate

offic

e sy

stem

.

1955

Mul

tiple

Sur

face

Use

Act

w

ithdr

aws

com

mon

var

ietie

s of

m

iner

als

from

ent

ry a

s m

inin

g cl

aim

s an

d al

low

s cl

aim

ow

ners

to

use

the

surfa

ce fo

r min

ing

oper

atio

n pu

rpos

es o

nly.

1959

Wild

Hor

se P

rote

ctio

n Ac

t pro

hibi

ts

the

roun

dup

of w

ild h

orse

s by

ai

rcra

ft an

d m

otor

veh

icle

s.

170

0s '

180

0s '

190

0s '


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1960

Publ

ic L

and

Adm

inis

trat

ion

Act

allo

ws

the

use

of d

onat

ions

an

d co

oper

ativ

e ag

reem

ents

to

impr

ove

and

bett

er m

anag

e pu

blic

land

s.

1964

Publ

ic L

and

Law

Rev

iew

Co

mm

issi

on is

est

ablis

hed

to

stud

y pu

blic

land

law

s an

d m

ake

long

-ter

m re

com

men

datio

ns fo

r pu

blic

land

use

.

Wild

erne

ss A

ct p

rote

cts

unde

velo

ped

fede

ral l

and

to

pres

erve

its

natu

ral c

ondi

tion.

The

BLM

ado

pts

a ne

w lo

go.

1965

Land

and

Wat

er C

onse

rvat

ion

Fund

is e

stab

lishe

d fo

r fed

eral

ac

quis

ition

of o

utdo

or re

crea

tion

area

s.

1966

Nat

iona

l Hist

oric

Pre

serv

atio

n Ac

t ex

pand

s pr

otec

tion

of p

rehi

stor

ic

and

hist

oric

pro

pert

ies.

1968

Wild

and

Sce

nic

Rive

rs a

nd

Nat

iona

l Tra

ils S

yste

m A

cts

pres

erve

site

s w

ith o

utst

andi

ng

natu

ral,

cultu

ral,

scen

ic, h

isto

ric,

and

recr

eatio

nal s

igni

fican

ce.

John

ny H

oriz

on p

rogr

am

prom

otes

pub

lic a

war

enes

s of

BL

M-a

dmin

iste

red

land

s.

1969

Nat

iona

l Env

ironm

enta

l Pol

icy

Act r

equi

res

fede

ral a

genc

ies

to a

sses

s th

e im

pact

s of

thei

r ac

tions

on

the

envi

ronm

ent.

1971

Alas

ka N

ativ

e Cl

aim

s Se

ttle

men

t Ac

t pro

vide

s fo

r set

tlem

ent

of a

borig

inal

land

cla

ims

of

Alas

kan

Nat

ives

and

Nat

ive

grou

ps; t

he B

LM is

task

ed w

ith

the

larg

est U

.S. l

and

tran

sfer

ef

fort

eve

r und

erta

ken.

Wild

Fre

e-Ro

amin

g Ho

rses

and

Bu

rros

Act

pro

vide

s fo

r the

pr

otec

tion

and

man

agem

ent o

f th

ese

anim

als

on fe

dera

l lan

ds.

1973

Enda

nger

ed S

peci

es A

ct re

quire

s th

e co

nser

vatio

n of

thre

aten

ed

and

enda

nger

ed p

lant

s an

d an

imal

s an

d th

e ec

osys

tem

s up

on w

hich

they

dep

end.

1975

Ener

gy P

olic

y an

d Co

nser

vatio

n Ac

t add

ress

es e

nerg

y de

man

ds

and

esta

blis

hes

a st

rate

gic

petr

oleu

m re

serv

e.

1976

Fede

ral L

and

Polic

y an

d M

anag

emen

t Act

requ

ires

that

pu

blic

land

s be

man

aged

for

mul

tiple

use

s an

d su

stai

ned

yiel

d th

roug

h la

nd u

se p

lann

ing.

Man

agem

ent o

f the

Nat

iona

l Pe

trol

eum

Res

erve

–Ala

ska

is

tran

sfer

red

to th

e BL

M.

1977

Surfa

ce M

inin

g Co

ntro

l and

Re

clam

atio

n Ac

t ens

ures

en

viro

nmen

tal s

afeg

uard

s fo

r m

inin

g an

d re

clam

atio

n of

m

ined

are

as.

Tran

s Ala

ska

Pipe

line

Syst

em

begi

ns tr

ansp

ortin

g oi

l 800

mile

s fro

m A

lask

a’s

Nor

th S

lope

to th

e Po

rt o

f Val

dez.

1978

Publ

ic R

ange

land

s Im

prov

emen

t Ac

t req

uire

s in

vent

ory,

dete

rmin

atio

n of

tren

ds, a

nd

impr

ovem

ent o

f pub

lic ra

ngel

ands

.

1979

Arch

aeol

ogic

al R

esou

rces

Pr

otec

tion

Act r

equi

res

perm

its

for e

xcav

atio

n or

rem

oval

of

thes

e re

sour

ces

from

fede

ral

land

s an

d pr

ovid

es s

trin

gent

cr

imin

al a

nd c

ivil

pena

lties

for

viol

atio

ns.

1980

Alas

ka N

atio

nal I

nter

est L

ands

Co

nser

vatio

n Ac

t des

igna

tes

and

cons

erve

s pu

blic

land

s in

Al

aska

as

natio

nal p

arks

, wild

life

refu

ges,

wild

and

sce

nic

river

s, w

ilder

ness

, and

fore

sts

and

prov

ides

for s

ubsi

sten

ce u

se b

y ru

ral A

lask

a re

side

nts.

Ener

gy S

ecur

ity A

ct p

rom

otes

th

e de

velo

pmen

t of a

ltern

ativ

e en

ergy

sou

rces

suc

h as

oil

shal

e,

synt

hetic

fuel

, win

d po

wer

, and

ge

othe

rmal

sou

rces

.

The

BLM

com

plet

es it

s fir

st

reso

urce

man

agem

ent p

lan,

co

verin

g th

e Ca

lifor

nia

Dese

rt

Cons

erva

tion

Area

, and

de

sign

ates

its

first

are

as o

f cr

itica

l env

ironm

enta

l con

cern

in

Uta

h an

d Ca

lifor

nia.

1983

Bear

Trap

Can

yon

in so

uthw

este

rn

Mon

tana

is d

esig

nate

d by

Co

ngre

ss a

s BL

M’s

first

w

ilder

ness

are

a (it

late

r bec

ame

part

of L

ee M

etca

lf W

ilder

ness

).

The

BLM

tran

sfer

s re

spon

sibi

lity

for o

ffsho

re le

asin

g to

the

Min

eral

s M

anag

emen

t Ser

vice

.

1987

Fede

ral O

nsho

re O

il an

d G

as

Leas

ing

Refo

rm A

ct e

stab

lishe

s a

new

leas

ing

syst

em a

nd c

hang

es

cert

ain

oper

atio

nal p

roce

dure

s fo

r ons

hore

reso

urce

s on

fede

ral

land

s.

1990

Nor

ther

n sp

otte

d ow

l is

liste

d as

a

thre

aten

ed s

peci

es u

nder

the

Enda

nger

ed S

peci

es A

ct, l

eadi

ng

to a

n en

join

men

t of a

ll tim

ber

sale

s on

fede

ral l

ands

with

in it

s ra

nge.

1992

Ener

gy P

olic

y Ac

t inc

reas

es fo

cus

on a

ltern

ativ

e en

ergy

sou

rces

, en

ergy

effi

cien

cy, a

nd re

duci

ng

the

coun

try’

s re

lianc

e on

fore

ign

fuel

sou

rces

.

1993

Pres

iden

tial s

umm

it le

ads

to th

e de

velo

pmen

t of t

he N

orth

wes

t Fo

rest

Pla

n to

add

ress

hum

an

and

envi

ronm

enta

l nee

ds in

ar

eas

with

in th

e no

rthe

rn

spot

ted

owl r

egio

n.

1994

BLM

Sum

mit,

the

first

eve

r ga

ther

ing

of a

ll BL

M m

anag

ers,

resu

lted

in th

e de

velo

pmen

t of a

ne

w s

trat

egic

vis

ion

for t

he B

LM.

Rang

elan

d Re

form

’94

amen

ds

graz

ing

regu

latio

ns a

nd

esta

blis

hes

Reso

urce

Adv

isor

y Co

unci

ls.

1996

Gra

nd S

tairc

ase-

Esca

lant

e N

atio

nal M

onum

ent i

s de

sign

ated

by

Pres

iden

tial

proc

lam

atio

n as

BLM

’s fir

st

natio

nal m

onum

ent.

200

0N

atio

nal L

ands

cape

Con

serv

atio

n Sy

stem

is e

stab

lishe

d.

Exec

utiv

e O

rder

131

75

man

date

s co

nsul

tatio

n an

d co

llabo

ratio

n w

ith tr

ibal

offi

cial

s in

dev

elop

ing

fede

ral p

olic

y th

at

has

trib

al im

plic

atio

ns.

200

5En

ergy

Pol

icy

Act e

nsur

es e

nerg

y ef

ficie

ncy

and

the

prod

uctio

n of

se

cure

, affo

rdab

le, a

nd re

liabl

e do

mes

tic e

nerg

y.

200

8BL

M-m

anag

ed la

nds

are

offic

ially

des

igna

ted

as th

e N

atio

nal S

yste

m o

f Pub

lic L

ands

.

200

9O

mni

bus

Publ

ic L

and

Man

agem

ent A

ct a

utho

rizes

th

e 26

-mill

ion-

acre

Nat

iona

l La

ndsc

ape

Cons

erva

tion

Syst

em a

nd e

stab

lishe

s pe

rmit

requ

irem

ents

and

pen

altie

s fo

r una

utho

rized

rem

oval

of

pale

onto

logi

cal r

esou

rces

from

fe

dera

l lan

ds.

2012

200t

h an

nive

rsar

y of

the

Gen

eral

La

nd O

ffice

and

the

150t

h an

nive

rsar

y of

the

Hom

este

ad A

ct.

2015

15th

ann

iver

sary

of t

he N

atio

nal

Land

scap

e Co

nser

vatio

n Sy

stem

.

2016

40th

ann

iver

sary

of t

he F

eder

al

Land

Pol

icy a

nd M

anag

emen

t Act

.

U.S

. Lan

d Acq

uisi

tions

1783

Land

s so

uth

of th

e G

reat

Lak

es

and

east

of t

he M

issi

ssip

pi R

iver

ar

e ce

ded

to th

e U

nite

d St

ates

.

180

3Lo

uisi

ana

Purc

hase

nea

rly

doub

les

the

size

of t

he U

nite

d St

ates

.

1819

Span

ish

cess

ion

of F

lorid

a an

d bo

unda

ry a

djus

tmen

ts w

est o

f th

e M

issi

ssip

pi R

iver

add

mor

e th

an 4

6 m

illio

n ac

res

to th

e pu

blic

dom

ain.

1845

Repu

blic

of T

exas

is a

nnex

ed

by th

e U

nite

d St

ates

.

1846

Ore

gon

com

prom

ise

give

s th

e U

nite

d St

ates

cla

im to

par

t of

the

Paci

fic N

orth

wes

t.

1848

Mex

ico

cede

s Ca

lifor

nia

and

va

st a

reas

of t

he in

land

Wes

t to

the

Uni

ted

Stat

es.

1853

Gad

sden

Pur

chas

e ad

ds a

lmos

t 19

mill

ion

acre

s of

pub

lic la

nds

in s

outh

ern

Ariz

ona

and

N

ew M

exic

o.

1867

Uni

ted

Stat

es p

urch

ases

Ala

ska,

ad

ding

375

mill

ion

acre

s to

the

publ

ic d

omai

n.

190

0s '

200

0s '

Toda

y, th

e BL

M b

enefi

ts th

e na

tiona

l eco

nom

y as w

ell a

s the

eco

nom

ies o

f loc

al co

mm

uniti

es.

Activ

ities

on

BLM

land

s, su

ch a

s en

ergy

pro

duct

ion,

min

eral

ext

ract

ion,

tim

ber h

arve

stin

g,

graz

ing,

and

rec

reat

ion,

res

ult

in

jobs

and

inco

me

from

goo

ds a

nd s

ervi

ces

asso

ciat

ed

with

pub

lic la

nd r

esou

rces

. In

2015

, the

BLM

’s m

anag

emen

t of

pub

lic la

nds

cont

ribut

ed

$88

billi

on to

the

natio

nal e

cono

my

and

supp

orte

d m

ore

than

374

,000

Am

eric

an jo

bs.

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Timeline Handout, Group 1, 1776 through 1849

1. Usingthetimelinetitled“OurPublicLandHeritage:FromtheGLOtotheBLM,”fillintheeventsnexttotheyearsbelow.Note:Theeventfor1803*isfoundintheLandAcquisitionsportionof the timeline.1778:

1785:

1789:

1803:

1803*:

1812:

1843:

1849:

2. Answerthefollowingquestions:•WhatisthenameoftheBLM’spredecessoragency?

•Whatdepartmentwasthatagencyhousedin?

•Towhatdepartmentwastheagencymoved,andwhen?

3. Preparea2-minuteTVnewssegmentonthelandmanagementeventsthatoccurredbetween1778and1849.Usemarkersandflipchartpapertoillustrateyourstory.Assignrolessuchasnewsanchor,fieldreporter,writer,illustrator,anddirector.


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1. Usingthetimelinetitled“OurPublicLandHeritage:FromtheGLOtotheBLM,”fillintheeventsnext to the years below. Look in the general timeline unless the year is marked with an asterisk (*), whichmeanstolookattheLandAcquisitionsportionofthetimeline.1850:

1853*:

1860:

1862:

1867*:

1872:

1877:

1878:

2. Answerthefollowingquestions:•Howmanylawsarementionedinyoursectionofthetimeline?

•Whataretheirtitles?


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1. Usingthetimelinetitled“OurPublicLandHeritage:FromtheGLOtotheBLM,”fillintheeventsnext to the years below.1889:

1898:

1906:

1911:

1916:

1920:

1926:

1934:





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1942:

1946:

1953:

1954:

1959:

1964:

1969:

2. Answerthefollowingquestions:•WhatyearwastheBureauofLandManagementestablished?

•WhichtwoagenciescombinedtoformtheBureauofLandManagement?

•WithinwhichdepartmentdoestheBureauofLandManagementreside?


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1976:

1979:

1990:

1992:

2000:

2009:

2012:




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Activity 2: Public Land, Public Voice

For the TeacherThis activity addresses the following essential understanding:

• FLPMAistheprimaryfederallawthatauthorizes the BLM’s activities and provides for public involvement in land management decisions.

OverviewThis is the second of three activities that addresses the history of the BLMandFLPMA.Thisactivityintroduces students to:

• ThevariouswaysFLPMAinvitespublicengagement in land management decisions.

• Amethodforassessingwhichtypesofengagement make sense for the students.


Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to (1) identify numerous avenues of civic engagement in public lands issues and (2) use individual criteria to assess which avenues they would be most likely to pursue.

Teacher Preparation1. Make enough copies of the

“Avenues of Involvement” handout for each student.

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Procedure

1. Ask students to brainstorm how they and their families might express their views about a policy issue. Use a timely issue that most people know about, or make up a proposal that might affect students directly, such as a new dress code or changes to the cafeteria menu. Record responses where all students can see them.

2. Note that before the BLM makes land use decisions, the agency invites the public to weigh in formally and that many people and groups also use some of the less formal strategies on the students’ list.

3. Distribute the “Avenues of Involvement” handout to the students. Go over the strategies to make sure everyone understands all of them. If there are any strategies on the brainstormed list that are not on the handout, ask students to add these to the handout.

4. Instead of a new dress code or changes to the cafeteria menu, ask students to consider a land use dilemma, such as whether the BLM should allow a wind energy facility to be built on public land even if it would pose a threat to birds and bats.

5. Explain that students should place each strategy by number on the grid based on theirpersonaljudgment—therearenorightorwronganswers.Practicewithafewofthe strategies from their brainstormed list, and ask which they think would be the most effective and which they would be most likely to carry out. Ask students to place each strategy on the grid individually. Ask them to pay attention to the ones they place in the toprightquadrant(thesearetheonestheythink are most effective and are most likely to carry out).

6. Ask students to form groups of 3 or 4 and to compare the strategies they placed in the top rightquadrant.

7. Conclusion:Reconfiguretheclassintooneunit and ask: How similar and different were thestrategiesinyourtoprightquadrants,and did anyone move a strategy from one quadranttoanotherafterdiscussingthemingroups?

Assessment

Circulate among groups to determine how well students are understanding and using the criteria as they discuss the strategies.

Ask students to hand in an exit ticket that asks how the group discussions affected their views on which actions appealed to them the most.


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Avenues of Involvement

TheFederalLandPolicyandManagementActof1976 provides the Bureau of Land Management withaspecificmandate,withafocusonbalancingmultiple use with sustained yield and encouraging citizen engagement in managing public lands. The following list shows numerous ways for citizens to become involved in BLM policy issues, such as whether the BLM should allow a wind energy facility to be built on public land even if itwouldposeathreattobirdsandbats.Placethe number of each strategy on the grid in terms of the likelihood of its implementation and its effectiveness toward the policy issue.

1. Attend a public meeting where the BLM asks for citizen input about land use planning.

2. Join a stakeholder group.

3. Volunteer for a public lands agency.

4. Use social media or videos to organize other citizens.

5. Organize a recreation event on public lands.

6. Comment in the Federal Register on a proposal by the BLM.

7. Educate others about an issue by giving talks at schools, Scout meetings, and other gatherings.

8. Take part in a citizen-science initiative (for example, a bird count).

9. Vote in local, state, and national elections.

10. Other (specify):

High impact

You are very unlikely You are very likelyto take this action to take this action

Low impact

Whatspecificimpactsdoyouthinkyour“highimpact/highlikelihood”actionsarelikelytohave?

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Activity 3: The Question in Brookdale

For the TeacherThis activity addresses the following essential understandings:

• FLPMAistheprimaryfederallawthatauthorizes the BLM’s activities and provides for public involvement in land management decisions.

• Publiclandsbelongtoallofus.

OverviewThis is the third of three activities that addresses the history of the BLMandFLPMA.Thisactivityintroduces students to:

• Thechallengesresourcemanagersfaceinattempting to accommodate competing demands for uses of the land while maintaining its ecological integrity.

• Publicmeetingsthataddresslandusedilemmas.

• Diverseperspectivesaboutbalancingmultipleuse and sustained yield.


Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to (1) identify how the multiple use and sustained yield principles are reflectedinpublicmeetingsaboutlandusedilemmas, (2) describe various stakeholders and their perspectives regarding a land use dilemma, and (3) use the mandate to make a judgment about the dilemma.

Teacher Preparation1. Read the “Background

Information,” and make a copy of it for each student.

2. Makecopiesofthe“ViewpointHandout”—there are six versions, one for each small group.

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Procedure

1. Explain that public land managers make important decisions that can have long-lasting impacts, such as whether to transfer a parcel of land to a local government so that it can be developed. This activity models the BLM’s public meeting process and represents some of the opinions heard when the BLM makes such decisions.

2. Distribute a copy of the “Background Information” to all students, and give them about 5 minutes to read the sheet. Ask students which stakeholder groups are mentioned in the sheet, and ask them to summarizethequestionthattheBLMneedsto answer.

3. Dividestudentsintosixroughlyequal-size stakeholder groups, in which they will prepare and deliver a presentation to BLM decisionmakers. Distribute the appropriate version of the “Viewpoint Handout” to the students in each group. Ask students to read the instructions, and explain that their job is to develop arguments that best support the interests of their group. Ask each grouptoselectaspokesperson.Provideabout 15 minutes for the groups to develop theirarguments.Provideanyclarificationforquestionstheymayhave,emphasizethat there is no overall right answer, and discourage them from introducing factors that are outside the context of the activity.

4. Select one student from each interest group (someone other than the spokesperson) to form a new group: the BLM decisionmakers. Explain to the BLM decisionmaker group that their role has changed (they are no longer a “biologist” or “recreationist,” for example). From this point forward, as the BLM

decisionmaker group, they will read all of the viewpoint handouts. They will then listen to each stakeholder group’s presentation, take notes on each presentation, and ask each spokespersonanyquestionstheymayhave.

5. Invite the spokesperson from each group to present his or her case to the BLM decisionmaker group. At the end of each presentation, have the BLM decisionmaker groupaskthespokespersonanyquestionsthey may have.

6. Once all groups have presented their positions,brieflyleadstudentsinageneraldiscussion. Make sure students see that all groups have valid concerns and that tradeoffs arenecessaryregardlessofthefinalchoice.[Thiswilllikelyconcludethefirstclassperiod.]

7. While the BLM decisionmaker group is deciding whether to amend the land use plan to allow for development, rearrange the rest of the class into new groups made up of one person from each interest group. Ask students to argue for their own personal viewpoints rather than for the position of the interest groups they represented in Step 3. Have these groups decide what they think the BLM ought to do, brainstorm alternative ideas that might not yet have been considered, and select a spokesperson.

8. Once all groups have made a decision, askthespokespersonfromeachtobrieflyshare the group’s decision. Call on the BLM decisionmaker group last.

9. The BLM decisionmaker group’s spokesperson will then explain the group’s decision to the class, including the reasoning behind the decision.

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10. Reconvene the entire class into one unit, and ask students about the process: How hard was it to decide and to advocate? Did they

personally agree with the position of their stakeholder group? What were the toughest tradeoffs for the BLM decisionmaker group?

Assessment

Assign a persuasive essay in which students (1) state their personal views about whether the land use plan should be amended to allow development, (2) cite at least three pieces of evidence to support their positions, (3) describe

the strongest argument by those who disagree, and (4) conclude with a statement about why the issue is important. A rubric for persuasive essays can be found here: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/Persuasion%20Rubric.pdf.

Alternatives to Consider

As needed, ask students to conduct library research to learn how other communities have balanced development and conservation. For example, depending on the group they are representing, students might search for

information on off-highway vehicles, personal watercraft, speedboats, or other recreational subjects, or on endangered or threatened species such as the desert tortoise or fringe-toed lizard.

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Background Information—Brookdale Activity

The community of Brookdale, located

along the lower Colorado River, in the

Arizona portion of the Sonoran Desert,

has approached the BLM about acquiring

a parcel of public land on the northern

border of the town. The community is

interested in attracting some of the

“snowbirds”—visitors from the Northern

United States and Canada—who annually

migrate to Arizona and California during

the winter months. The community would

also like to take advantage of some

recreational activities that are focused

around the Colorado River.

The parcel that Brookdale wishes to

acquire includes mostly level terrain

overlooking the Colorado River but also

includes a portion of a small range of

mountains that may eventually figure into

the town’s development plans. Brookdale

has limited opportunities for town

expansion because it is surrounded along

the west side by the Colorado River and

on the north, east, and south by public

land. As opposed to the public lands to

the north of Brookdale, the lands on the

east and south do not offer vistas of the

Colorado River. The town’s river-oriented

recreational opportunities (predominately

personal watercraft and speedboats)

would directly compete with several other

private and public facilities located on the

California side of the Colorado River,

as well as a long-term visitor area

located on public lands

about 32 kilometers

east of the river.

According to the land

use plan prepared many

years ago, the parcel that Brookdale

wants to acquire was not identified as

available for sale. The community of

Brookdale would like the BLM to amend

the original land use plan to designate the

parcel as suitable for sale. The agency will

conduct a public meeting to solicit input

from the various interest groups that may

be affected by the land use decision.

The BLM already has information

on file related to the parcel. In past

government-to-government consultation

with many American Indian tribes,

the BLM was told that the land north

of Brookdale includes an area that

is of traditional cultural importance

to American Indian tribes in Arizona,

California, and Mexico. The area, known

as Tipaza Hills, is valued by these groups

as a spiritual retreat and a location for

conducting special ceremonial activities.

Also, BLM biologists have noted that

several caves located in Tipaza Hills

serve as critical habitat for a species

of saguaro-pollinating bats. Biologists

believe that an apparent decline in the

number of young saguaro cacti may be

attributable to a decline in the number

of these bats. Biologists also believe

that an increase in insect infestation in

agricultural areas farther downstream

along the Colorado River may also be

attributable to a decline in these insect-

eating bats. Biologists are uncertain

how widely distributed this bat species

is within the Sonoran Desert or how

closely it is genetically related to other

bats in the Sonoran Desert.

Long-termvisitor area

North

CA

LIF

OR

NIA

PUBLICLAND

PUBLICLAND

Brookdale

Agricultural area

Public landparcel

TipazaHillsCaves for

bats

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Viewpoint Handout—Recreationists

Instructions:Prepareanargumentforthepointofviewrepresentedbelow,andconsiderhowtopresent your case to BLM resource managers at a public meeting.

Point of view:Recreationistswouldlikeabroadlevelofhigh-qualityrecreationalexperiencesmadeavailable at a reasonable cost and with a minimum number of restrictions. Additionally, they want the experience to be safe and family-friendly. They also want:

• Anattractiveareatocamp(withfacilitiessuchastoiletsandshowers)andtospendtheirleisuretime.

• AdditionalrecreationaldestinationsalongtheColoradoRiver.

• Storesthatsellandrentriver-orientedrecreationalgear.

• Freshwaterfordrinkingandoutdoorswimming.

• Facilitiesdirectlyaccessiblefromtherivertopurchasegasoline,supplies,freshwater,andrecreationalequipment.

• Speciallydesignatedareasforspeedboats,personalwatercraft,fishing,innertubing,hiking,andbird watching.

Discuss the following questions:

• Howdoesyourpointofviewrelatetotheprinciplesofmultipleuseandsustainedyield?

• Doestheavailabilityofsimilarrecreationalandlong-termvisitorareasnearbyaffectyourargument?

• Whatisthebestuseofthegeneralareainregardtohumaninterests?Whataboutinregardtoprotecting biodiversity? Are there solutions that can satisfy both?

• What,ifanything,canyougiveuporalteraboutyourposition?

• HowwouldyourargumentbeaffectedbythefactthatAmericanIndiantribesconsidertheTipazaHills sacred and that the tribes do not feel any development should be allowed there?

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Viewpoint Handout—Long-Term Visitors


Point of view: Long-term visitors (also known as “snowbirds”) are visitors from colder climates who spend the winter months in designated camping areas on public lands in Arizona and California. They want:

• DevelopedhikingtrailsthatoverlooktheColoradoRiver.

• Theirownrecreationalfacilitiesthatareseparatefromriver-orientedrecreationalfacilities.

• Nonnativetreesplantedforshade.

• Anoutdoorpool,toilets,andfreshwater.

• Aminimumofmoderndevelopmentsaroundthelong-termvisitorareas.








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Viewpoint Handout—Biologists


Point of view: Biologists would like to see native plants and animals protected in the wild. They want:

• Minimaldisruptionoftheexistingecosystem.

• Criticalbathabitatprotected.

• Abufferareabetweenhumandevelopmentsandcriticalplantandanimalhabitats.

• Thegreatestpossiblediversityofnativeplantsandanimalspecies.

• Aninventoryofexistingfloraandfauna.







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Viewpoint Handout—American Indian Tribes


Point of view: American Indian tribes want their tribes to have unrestricted access to sacred and traditional use areas located on public lands. They want others to have access to these areas with restrictions. They want:

• TheTipazaHillsmadeofflimitsindefinitelyformineralextractionandalltypesofland-disturbingactivities.

• OnlyAmericanIndianstohaveaccesstotheTipazaHillstoprotectthesacredmountains.







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Viewpoint Handout—Farmers


Point of view: Farmers are concerned about the effects of federal actions on the productivity of privately owned farmlands and the availability of water for irrigation downstream from public lands. They want:

• Insect-eatinganimalsprotected.

• Upstreamuseofwaterfromundergroundaquiferslimited.







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Viewpoint Handout—Members of the Brookdale Chamber of Commerce


Point of view: Members of the Brookdale Chamber of Commerce want:

• Toacquirethefederalparceloflandforlow-densitydevelopments.

• Somelevelofeconomicgrowthpromotedwithoutsignificantlychangingthe“smalltown”character of their town.

• Long-termvisitorswhowillspendmoneybutonlystaypartoftheyear.

• Alimitedlevelofdevelopmenttoaccommodatelong-termvisitors.







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Acknowledgments

AuthorScottRichardson,BLMEducationSpecialist,DivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnerships,

Washington, DC

ReviewersJanetC.Ady,DivisionChief,DivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnerships,Washington,DCDerrickBaldwin,EducationSpecialist,DivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnerships,

Washington, DCBibiBooth,BLMDeputyDivisionChief,DivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnerships,

Washington, DCRanelStephensonCapron,BLMFederalPreservationOfficer,DivisionofCulturalandPaleontological

Resources and Tribal Consultation, Washington, DCKevin Flynn, BLM Technical Information Specialist, Division of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships,Washington,DC

JanetLacey,BLMEducationSpecialist,DivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnerships,Washington, DC

BetsyWooster,BLMNationalLeadforYouth,DivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnerships,Washington, DC

ProductionTammieAdams,BLMWriter/Editor,NationalOperationsCenter,Denver,COJanine Koselak, BLM Visual Information Specialist, National Operations Center, Denver, CO

TheBLM’sDivisionofEducation,Interpretation,andPartnershipsproducedthispublication.TheBLM’sNationalOperationsCenter,InformationandPublishingServicesSection,providedproduction services.

The mention of company names, trade names, or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the federal government.

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Notes:

April 2017BLM/WO/GI-16/008+8301

EE 2042d

citizen voice in land use decisions - blm.gov

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