Don't Sell Out Public Lands, Our Sporting Traditions or Our Way of Life
- Aaron Kindle, National Wildlife Federation Director of Sporting Advocacy
- Apr 21, 2025
Last year, my family was lucky enough to visit our son, who was taking a gap year in Argentina. The landscapes there are magnificent and we took full advantage of every moment to explore them. But I was surprised to learn that 96% of the land in Argentina is privately owned – mostly by large corporations. As a result, many Argentines never get to experience the natural wonders that are everywhere in Argentina.
The trip was an important reminder about how fortunate we are in the United States to have vast public lands where people from all walks of life are welcome to connect with nature and engage in countless outdoor recreation opportunities with their family and friends.
As an avid hunter and angler, I — and thousands of people like me — depend on federal lands to provide wildlife habitat and access to places to hunt and fish. 皇冠体育app官网平台’s public lands also sustain our economy and hundreds of small towns by supporting an outdoor industry that generates more than $1 trillion annually and supports more than 7.6 million jobs.
Unfortunately, there are now some proposals in Congress to try to sell off these public lands to balance the budget. This foolhardy idea could effectively put an end to a unique heritage that is the product of more than a century of leadership by both Republicans and Democrats.
What’s particularly galling is that this proposal is being put forth as a way to save money, when in reality, selling off public lands has tremendous costs – for wildlife, for hunters and anglers, for ranchers, and for rural communities. Our public lands are economically productive, fueling local economies, and putting money in federal coffers– whether it’s from grazing fees, hunting licenses, tourism revenue, or oil and gas royalties. Our public lands represent smart investment, not government bloat. Any money gained from a quick sell-off is short-sighted and the costs of stewarding those lands just get transferred to local governments that are ill-equipped to pay for firefighting and infrastructure costs.
Some in Congress also have been talking about selling public lands to solve the affordable housing crisis in this country. Don’t get me wrong– the lack of affordable housing is a very real problem. But there currently are reasonable avenues for Congress and the administration to address those needs without selling off lands that future generations will never get back.
Affordable housing only works when costs are kept down- and land prices are one of the biggest costs. If the government sells public land at market rate, developers will pass that cost to buyers. If the federal government gives the land away, taxpayers foot the bill. Either way, using public lands for housing is not a simple solution, and in many instances is not fiscally practical. Plus, these new developments will require roads, water, infrastructure, fire service and police– all paid for by taxpayers and often at a very high cost because these lands aren’t always close to already existing infrastructure.
Fortunately, there are some members of Congress that recognize the tremendous value of public lands to the 皇冠体育app官网平台n people, and that selling off public lands is not a viable solution to balancing the budget or solving the housing crisis. In particular, Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana and Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico have introduced the “Public Lands in Public Hands Act” that bans the sale or transfer of most public lands. And several other influential lawmakers have voiced their strong support of the bill, including Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Tim Sheehy, and Rep. Troy Downing of Montana and Rep. Mike Simpson in Idaho. But we need more members to stand up for public lands to keep them off the chopping block.
Our public lands are where we hike, camp, hunt, fish and hike. It’s where we teach our kids about wildlife and about outdoor values. Please to keep public lands in public hands so that future generations will be able to enjoy the many benefits that public lands provide all of us.
