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Deleted member 20812
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Hopefully, you'll spend the day recreating on your public lands. One of my greatest enjoyments is sharing my public land adventures. I can't fathom how differently my life would look without them. We use them weekly.
I ask that, if you don't already, consider supporting an advocacy group that supports and promotes public land policy. I have long been a supporter of TRCP, they get some really good stuff done regardless of the administration. They've been a public lands player for many years now. Regardless of who you want to support, take a look at their mission statement. It's your money, you should be comfortable in who you're supporting.
Public land use is increasing every year. We know full well there is no such thing as a "non-consumptive" user of public lands. Everyone has an impact of some sort, whether it is wildlife disturbance, streambank erosion, noxious weeds, trail maintenance, campground maintenance, and so forth. I urge you to contact your legislators and discuss this with them. Ask them about ideas for additional funding sources to offset and/or mitigate these impacts. We are long past due for something along the lines of an "REI tax" that places an excise tax on all outdoor equipment. Even if this were solely used as a matching funds for LWCF, we could do some wonderful things for public lands.
Public land recreation is quickly becoming a very significant portion of our GDP. It is critical to many local economies. Yet, we run the risk of loving our lands to death, as pointed out by many very good and thought provoking threads on this forum. We should continually be striving for better access to landlocked public lands, and expanded opportunities to further disperse users.
It's not solely about funding access though. Press your elected officials and land management agencies to consider these impacts in the Resource Management Plans, and ask the question of how they are going to fund enforcement of public land policy and regulation. Our current enforcement levels on federal lands are simply embarrassing. I firmly believe this will be a significant issue in my lifetime, and certainly as my kids enter adulthood. Be proactive in protecting our incredible public land trust.
Upper Birch Creek within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area.
I ask that, if you don't already, consider supporting an advocacy group that supports and promotes public land policy. I have long been a supporter of TRCP, they get some really good stuff done regardless of the administration. They've been a public lands player for many years now. Regardless of who you want to support, take a look at their mission statement. It's your money, you should be comfortable in who you're supporting.
Public land use is increasing every year. We know full well there is no such thing as a "non-consumptive" user of public lands. Everyone has an impact of some sort, whether it is wildlife disturbance, streambank erosion, noxious weeds, trail maintenance, campground maintenance, and so forth. I urge you to contact your legislators and discuss this with them. Ask them about ideas for additional funding sources to offset and/or mitigate these impacts. We are long past due for something along the lines of an "REI tax" that places an excise tax on all outdoor equipment. Even if this were solely used as a matching funds for LWCF, we could do some wonderful things for public lands.
Public land recreation is quickly becoming a very significant portion of our GDP. It is critical to many local economies. Yet, we run the risk of loving our lands to death, as pointed out by many very good and thought provoking threads on this forum. We should continually be striving for better access to landlocked public lands, and expanded opportunities to further disperse users.
It's not solely about funding access though. Press your elected officials and land management agencies to consider these impacts in the Resource Management Plans, and ask the question of how they are going to fund enforcement of public land policy and regulation. Our current enforcement levels on federal lands are simply embarrassing. I firmly believe this will be a significant issue in my lifetime, and certainly as my kids enter adulthood. Be proactive in protecting our incredible public land trust.
Upper Birch Creek within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area.
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