Bureau of Land Management Lands
Bureau of Land Management,
Department of the Interior
264 million acres of the Public Domain are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM also manages mineral rights underlying 564 million acres of public lands. Founded in 1946 by combining the General Land Office with the Grazing Service, the bureau is entrusted to manage public lands for multiple use while protecting the long-term health of the land.
Designations:
- National Conservation Area
- Recreation Area
- Area of Critical Environmental Concern
- Back Country Byway
- National Recreation Area
- Wilderness
- Wilderness Study Area
- Wild and Scenic River
Organizational Structure:
National Wildlife Refuges
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Department of the Interior
The National Wildlife Refuge System is made up of more that 500 refuges, with each of the fifty states having at least one refuge. Established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt, the system now includes 90 million-plus acres. Refuges preserve habitat for endangered species, large ungulates such as bison and elk, nesting and wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl. Some refuges may be closed seasonally, most are open for a wide spectrum of activities which may include wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing, hiking, and environmental education programs. The Fish and Wildlife Service also operates hatcheries to supplement fish supplies in fishable waters on public and Indian lands.
Designations:
- National Wildlife Refuge
- Wildlife Refuge
- National Elk Refuge
- National Antelope Refuge
- National Bison Range
- National Fish Hatchery
- Wilderness
Organizational Structure:
National Parks, National Monuments, and other sites
National Park Service,
Department of the Interior
The National Park System preserves some of the nation's most spectacular scenery and hallowed cultural and historical sites. Totaling 83 million acres, the system includes 54 national parks with a combined area of 54 million acres. Another 24 million acres are in national preserves; unlike national parks and monuments, the preserves allow hunting and the extraction of minerals and fuels. The 369 individual sites within the National Park System also include national monuments, national seashores and lakeshores, battlefields, historic trails, and buildings.
Designations:
- National Park
- National Monument
- National Historical Park
- National Seashore
- National Lakeshore
- National Historical Trail
- National Historical Site
- National Battlefield
- National Recreation Area
- Wilderness
- National Scenic Trail
- National Capital Park
Organizational Structure:
National Forests
Forest Service,
Department of Agriculture
National forests comprise the second largest area of public lands: 192 million acres including national grasslands, the equivalent of California, Oregon, and Washington combined. There are 155 national forests in the nation, mostly in the West and in Alaska. The Forest Service was established in 1905 and in addition to national forests, it also administers twenty national grasslands covering four million acres. National forests are administered under the concept of multiple use for sustained yield, which tries to balance such diverse activities as grazing, logging, mining, recreation, watershed protection.
Designations:
- National Forest
- National Grassland
- National Recreation Area
- National Monument
- Wilderness
- Wild and Scenic River
- Scenic Byway
Organizational Structure:
National Marine Sanctuaries
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Department of Commerce
Twelve marine sanctuaries protect kelp forests, coral reefs, and open ocean habitats. Marine sanctuaries promote a balance between healthy ecosystems and the economies of coastal communities. The first national marine sanctuary was established in 1969 following the Santa Barbara, California, oil spill.
National Estuarine Research Reserves
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Commerce
There are twenty-one reserves on state-owned lands and include habitats such as salt marshes, mangrove forests, beaches. These are natural laboratories for research and management of estuaries.
Military Reservations
Department of Defense
Twenty-seven million acres of public lands are used for military reservations and installations. These lands are mostly in the West and South and include Army forts, Air Force bases, naval bases, as well as artillery, bombing, and missile ranges, weapons testing grounds, and the like. Military withdrawals are home to endangered species and archaeological sites. Generally they are closed to the public although some offer limited hunting opportunities at certain times of the year.
DOE Sites
Department of Energy
Grazing and limited public access is allowed on some of the 2.4 million acres of the Department of Energy's fifty major sites. The larger sites are in the West and include oil reserves and cleanup sites.
Lakes and Reservoirs
Bureau of Reclamation
Established in 1905, the Bureau of Reclamation's mission was to construct federal irrigation projects in the arid West. To a large extent, this is still the primary object of the agency although recreation, fish and wildlife conservation also play an important part in the agency's mission. Recreational uses of the Bureau's lakes and reservoirs are usually managed and regulated by other federal or state agencies, such as state park departments.
Lakes and Reservoirs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The Corps of Engineers administers approximately 11.7 million acres of public land and water throughout the United States. The primary purpose of the Corps’ dams and related civil works is flood control but it is also the largest provider of water-based recreation; of its 459 reservoirs and lakes, ninety-four percent are within a two-hour drive of a major metropolitan area. The Corps' lakes include 4,900 recreation areas; more than half of these are managed directly by the agency
Organizational Structure:
State Parks and Monuments
State Parks or Natural Resources Divisions
Many state lands have outstanding scenic, recreational, cultural or historic values. In most states such lands have been designated parks, monuments or historic sites, and as attractions, they often rival other public lands. In eastern states, state parks are especially important because of the paucity of other public lands.
State Trust Lands
State Land Departments
As settlement expanded westward, territories were carved out of the Public Domain. Upon admission to the Union, the new states waived all claims to public lands in Federal stewardship but were rewarded with two sections (a section is a square mile or 640 acres) in each township for the support of public schools. Additional lands were later given to states in proportion to the number of Congress members, for construction of roads and canals for irrigating lands. The amount of lands thus acquired by the states were considerable: in Arizona, for example, 13% of the state is in state trust lands. Hunting and recreational activities are usually allowed on state trust lands, with appropriate permits.
State Fish Hatcheries, Wildlife Areas, and Game Refuges
State Departments of Game and Fish
States operate hatcheries to support lake and stream fisheries. Wildlife areas and game refuges are set aside for the propagation and protection of game species. Hunting, fishing, and recreational activities are usually allowed on these lands.
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| Barrel cactus, Saguaro National Park, Arizona |
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