Conservation is ‘neither optional nor ideological’

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to rescind its Conservation and Landscape Health Rule has sparked concern among conservationists and wildlife professionals who see it as a step backward for responsible land stewardship.

At stake is whether conservation will continue to be recognized as a legitimate use on par and intertwined with other uses of public land, including grazing, energy development, and recreation.

The administration’s rescission proposal incorrectly states that conservation is “no-use at the expense of multiple-use access.” TWS’ comments affirm that “This narrative has no grounding in law or science.” Conservation professionals who, among other things, restore degraded lands, control invasive species, and maintain the ecological functions that allow activities like grazing, recreation, and energy production on our public lands to continue. To categorize this work as “non-use” misrepresents our profession and the contributions of our members and is contrary to the BLM’s responsibility as the nation’s largest land manager.

TWS’s comments note a troubling rhetorical shift in the proposed rescission, portraying conservation professionals not as stewards of public trust resources, but as obstacles to access and use. In our comments, TWS argues that the proposal misrepresents conservation as a departure from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) multiple-use mandate rather than a statutory duty under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. It also warns that the rollback may diminish BLM’s ability to meet its legal obligation to prevent unnecessary degradation of public lands and their resources, including wildlife. TWS recommends that BLM:

1.  Withdraw the proposed recission

2.  Affirm conservation as a statutory obligation

3.  Reinforce science-based decision making

4.  Engage the community of conservation professionals

By removing the recession, reinforcing science-based decision making and engaging conservation professionals, BLM can strengthen its multiple-use mission and steward public trust resources sustainably for present and future generations.

Join fellow TWS members in supporting this year’s Giving Tuesday campaign. The funds from this year’s campaign will go to support securing a future where wildlife and the people who protect it can thrive through policy engagement.