Open Space STL’s Post

I’m excited to share a new issue brief: “New Public Lands Actions Turn the Page on Decades of Conflict and Mismanagement.” The short report outlines how a suite of complementary new actions from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) work together to ensure conservation, energy development, and outdoor recreation go hand in hand on U.S. public lands.  Under the leadership of President Biden, Secretary Haaland, Director Tracy Stone-Manning, and Deputy Director Nada Wolff Culver, the BLM is taking major steps right now to turn the corner on a long history of conflict and mismanagement of nearly 250 million acres of America’s public lands.  While some measures have garnered attention, their actual collective impact is underappreciated. But by crafting these policies together, the Biden administration is weaving together something much greater than the sum of its parts.

It was a crazy idea when the State of Utah suggested it and its a crazy idea for Wyoming to suggest it as well. But if we are going to go down the road of crazy ideas, lets give the land back to those who we stole it from! Lets give it back to the First Americans, our Indigenous Americans, our Native Americans. These are lands that the U.S. Federal Government could not give away via the homestead process, so I say, give it back, in the case of Wyoming, primarily the Crow Nation, the Arapaho (Northern Arapaho, Gros Ventre, and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe), Cheyenne (Northern Cheyenne, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe), and Shoshone (Eastern Shoshone, Shoshone Bannock). Lets give these lands back to these tribal peoples so they can benefit from the natural resource development including agricultural and tourism based uses, because the people of Wyoming will also directly and indirectly benefit as well. #wyoming #tribes #landback #indiancountry #publiclands https://lnkd.in/gy5sC4DJ

PART 2: The Georgia Historic Preservation Division will also be updating “Tilling the Earth: Georgia’s Historical Agricultural Heritage,” a statewide agricultural historic context report originally published in 2001. It has served as the foundational document for nominating agricultural properties to the National Register of Historic Places. To incorporate information that has entered the historic period since initial publication, the report needs to be updated to expand its guidance for extant historic resource types associated with agricultural heritage. This expansion would also include the resources’ significant historic associations, events, patterns, and themes. This report is expected to conclude in January 2026. Both context reports will focus on the counties impacted by Hurricane Michael, examining resources and historical narratives through 1985. These 70 counties in Southwest and Central Georgia have a wide range of resources to study and provide insights applicable across the state. The contracts for creation of both context documents have been awarded to New South Associates. Both projects are funded through the Historic Preservation Fund and the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service. #historicpreservation #historicpreservationmonth #historicpreservationmatters

We are excited to bring together our local land stewards to discover the pros and cons of different wetlands; ie: constructed wetlands and/ or simply retired wetland areas. In association with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and NIWA. The local dairy and dry stock farms and horticultural enterprises all interested in the most appropriate and cost effective solutions to slow the flow of water from lakes to the sea and protect downstream communities from any harm resulting from peak flows of water & contaminants while also enhancing biodiversity habitats and outcomes because most land stewards want to be doing “the right thing”

WATCH: A New Era for Bobwhite Quail. Link below! In order to make significant progress in restoring bobwhite quail populations, wild lands and working lands must work together for the benefit of the life they support and the livelihoods they sustain. That’s why one of Quail Forever’s strategic priorities includes restoring and enhancing 780,000 acres of upland habitat on private land in targeted quail states by 2026. That may seem like a daunting task, but luckily there are proven programs, solid partnerships, and a brand-new opportunity for landowners to utilize. Watch our original film, “A New Era for Bobwhite Quail,” to learn about some of these landmark initiatives while also hearing from landowners who are making – and seeing – a difference for quail populations on their own properties in Georgia and Missouri. WATCH at https://lnkd.in/grdKBNn2 #Farming4Habitat

🌍The Black Grouse Translocation Project: Our Misson We’re excited to share our groundbreaking effort to combat the decline of black grouse populations. Our project’s first phase focuses on understanding brood foraging habitats in the North Pennines. With this knowledge, the second phase aims to translocate and re-establish black grouse in the North York Moors—expanding their range to suitable areas and giving them a better chance to thrive. Using radio transmitters and GPS tags, we are tracking their movements, settlement patterns, and survival to guide moorland management and protect the species from future climate impacts. With support from Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, we’ve already seen positive results—seven females tagged this spring, five nests, and three successfully hatched broods. However, as funding is coming to an end, we need your help to continue this vital work. Watch the video to learn more about how you can support our efforts to secure the future of the black grouse. Find out more about the project and show your support:https://lnkd.in/ennSVnKy #Conservation #BlackGrouse #WildlifeProtection #MoorlandManagement #SpeciesRecovery #ClimateAction #GWCT

Searchlight New Mexico's article shines a spotlight on the deep-rooted concerns of Tribal and Pueblo leaders and community members regarding the potential impacts of Caja del Rio transmission line. For Tribes and Pueblos like Tesuque Pueblo, the Caja del Rio holds sacred significance as a place of cultural practices and connection to our ancestors. Tribal leaders have voiced strong opposition to the project, emphasizing the need to preserve our cultural resources and traditional way of life. The proposed construction threatens to disrupt sacred sites and ancestral footprints, undermining the spiritual and cultural integrity of the land. As stewards of our heritage, it is imperative that we engage in meaningful dialogue and advocate for sustainable solutions that honor our cultural identity and environmental stewardship. Sovereign Energy is committed to amplifying Tribal voices and supporting initiatives that uphold Tribal sovereignty and environmental justice. Energy companies must learn to work with Tribes, rather than against us. https://lnkd.in/gBtqnEnE

Did you know that one of the most common restoration techniques used to improve habitat and restore floodplains is by putting wood back into rivers? 🪵 This project involved placing woody debris in one of Idaho’s most productive steelhead tributaries, WF Little Bear. WF Little Bear and its neighboring tributaries are in the process of being restored by RivHab and Idaho Fish and Game. Wood loading into the tributary specifically helps decrease predation, improve instream refugia and lateral habitat, reconnect floodplains, and improve hydraulic complexity. #RIVHAB #riverrestoration #conservation

NATIONWIDE - On April 18, 2024, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the Public Lands Rule that will help conserve wildlife habitat, restore places impacted by wildfire and drought, expand outdoor recreation, and guide thoughtful development. “Our public lands provide wildlife habitat and clean water, the energy that lights our homes, the wood we build with, and the places where we make family memories,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “This rule honors our obligation to current and future generations to help ensure our public lands and waters remain healthy amid growing pressures and change.” The final rule comes amid growing pressures and historic challenges facing land managers. The impacts of climate change—including prolonged drought, increasing wildfires, and an influx of invasive species—pose increasing risks to communities, wildlife and ecosystems. The Public Lands Rule will help the BLM navigate changing conditions on the ground, while helping public lands continue to serve as economic drivers across the West. The Center for American Progress has put together a comprehensive article on the Public Lands Rule revisiting its history and looking at the future of new policies. Read the article by Drew McConville: https://lnkd.in/ePC8KBUR