Public lands are core to who we are as Americans. These are the places we hunt, fish, and recreate with our friends and families. America’s 640 million acres of public lands are some of the last wild places in the country.
It’s hard to exaggerate the importance of public lands for fishing, hunting, and other outdoor pursuits in America, but these lands also provide energy resources, minerals, forage, timber and other uses. Our nation needs responsibly developed, domestically produced energy, critical minerals and other resources—no question. But we also need wild and native fish and wildlife, in populations robust enough to sustain our sporting heritage, the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy and the many small businesses and communities that depend on healthy lands and waters.
Join Trout Unlimited in standing for public lands and the strongholds these lands provide for fish and wildlife.
As a public land user, I call on decision-makers to uphold our public lands legacy by strongly opposing any effort to sell, privatize, or otherwise dispose of public lands and to keep protections in place for the landscapes most cherished by anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Public lands, owned by all of us, improve the lives of millions of Americans and we must care for them to protect their tremendous value. Some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities are found on these lands. Seventy million American sportsmen and sportswomen access public land to hunt and fish. Under multiple use mandates, federal lands also provide energy, minerals, timber and other materials, contributing to our domestic supply chain and energy independence. These public lands, and the small businesses they support including fly shops, outfitters, restaurants, hotels, and many more, contribute more than $1.2 trillion to the outdoor economy, employing thousands of Americans.
Further, I ask that my elected officials work together to address 21st century land management challenges in ways that protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat, ensure that Federal land management agencies have the tools and funding necessary to effectively manage our lands, and uphold America’s public land hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation traditions.