National Landscape Conservation System

The BLM manages some lands almost exclusively for
conservation purposes. The National Landscape Conservation
System (NLCS), for example, brings some of the BLM’s
premier designations under a single organizational unit. By
putting these lands into an organized system, the BLM hopes
to increase public awareness of these areas’ scientific, cultural,
educational, ecological, and other values. The NLCS consists of
National Conservation Areas, National Monuments, Wilderness
Areas and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers,
and National Historic and Scenic Trails.

Public Land Records and Title Information

The BLM is responsible for the survey and title records
of the public domain, private land claims, and Indian lands.
As the agency that succeeded the General Land Office, the
BLM maintains more than nine million documents that provide
an account of the settlement of the United States. Any
member of the public can easily find genealogical and title
information by using the BLM’s Automated Records Web site
(www. glorecords. blm. gov).

How does the BLM determine which activities
take place in a given area?

Every major land use decision that the agency makes is
governed by a well-defined planning process established under
FLPMA. Land use planning is one of the most important tools
that the agency has, as it ensures that the BLM manages the
public lands consistently and in a way that upholds the principle
of multiple use. The planning process, moreover, incorporates
ample opportunity for public involvement. The BLM remains
committed to this process, investing a significant amount of its
annual budget and staff to planning.

What ts the BLM’s budget, and with whom does
the agency work?

The BLM has an annual budget of about $1.8 billion. The
agency leverages its money by entering into partnerships with
local communities, which create ties with the people who live
and work closest to BLM lands.

How can I learn more about the BLM?

For more information, go to the BLM’s Web site:

www.blm.gov


Conservation

Besides providing recreation, BLM lands also serve as
important areas for conservation programs. Over the past
decade, the number of plant and animal species on BLM
lands listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered
Species Act has increased to 305. The BLM’s restoration
initiatives are growing to meet this demand. In States with
sagebrush habitat, for example, the BLM is committed to con-
serving the greater sage-grouse, a game bird whose numbers
have been declining for the last three decades. The agency is
working with a variety of partners to carry out on-the-ground
projects that conserve habitat vital to the health of sage-grouse
and other species that depend on sagebrush for their survival.
BLM lands also hold greater numbers and kinds of fossils than
any other Federal or State agency’s holdings. From some of the
earliest known creatures to inhabit North America to the dino-
saurs, BLM lands serve as a first-class laboratory for scientists
from all over the world. In addition, archaeological and his-
torical treasures abound on BLM land. American Indian sacred
sites and cliff dwellings, pioneer trails, and frontier ghost towns
are just some of the resources that the agency safeguards.

What else does the BLM do?

Wildfire Management

The BLM fights scores of wildfires each year, working
to protect and restore landscapes and communities. Under
the National Fire Plan, which guides BLM’s and other
agencies’ efforts to respond to wildland fire, the BLM and
the other agencies ensure adequate preparedness for future
fire seasons, restore landscapes and rebuild communities
damaged by wildfire, invest in projects to reduce fire risk, work
directly with communities to ensure adequate protection, and
maintain accountability by establishing adequate oversight and
monitoring.

Wild Horse and Burro Adoptions

The BLM provides a unique service to the public. Through
the agency’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, qualified citizens
can adopt a wild horse or burro and give it a safe and healthy
long-term home. Adoptions are held several times a year, and
interested members of the public can also bid on the auctions
through the Internet. Management of wild horses and burros
on the public rangelands is consistent with BLM’s multiple-use
mission.


To obtain the name, address,
and phone number of your local
BLM office, please check the BLM’s
Internet Home Page (www.blm. gov)
or call 202-452-5125.

SEr-d

POAFH TORS SOOTO1D-O WINE


The Bureau of .
Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) might best be described

as a small agency with a big mission and a lot of ground to cover.

As the Nation’s largest land manager, the BLM is responsible for
more than 260 million acres of public land—nearly one-eighth

of all land in the United States—and 700 million acres
of Federal subsurface mineral estate nationwide.

. - ° + = > = > 4 & - = 7
— on es es a . ‘ream age & ee ee ro
a \e _ a + » . WwW aan _— Ral e —~—/,
<1» SY ese e- kh Sy 1 my * + a” ,.
aa To | ae es] = Lon s ae oho) rs. or cm ay
ers ry — >
4: Pe * wR Wesas $ 2? = betes 2
Hl ae) . , 4 | a
~~ ; Za, “<=. <<
ted : { :
q~ = & ~

Ta



Where are the public lands?

Most of the BLM’s land is located in the American
West and Alaska—its holdings comprise about one of
every five acres in the West—although the agency does
manage significant tracts east of the Mississippi River.
Land under the BLM’s jurisdiction is the legacy of ter-
ritory originally claimed by the Federal government
early in the Nation’s history. Much of the 1.8 billion
acres of public land was either claimed for homesteads,
railroads, and other private purposes or reserved as
parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, military bases,
or for other public uses. The BLM manages what
remains —once-disregarded lands that today are prized
for the array of values they contain.

Why are the public lands important?

The public lands serve several important func-
tions. As the West’s population has grown since World
War II, the BLM has had to meet a corresponding rise

Land managed by the BLM

BLM-administered minerals
underlying Federal surface
(excluding National Park
Service and Fish and Wildlife
Service units)

in public demand for uses such as recreation, wildlife,
and open space. At the same time, BLM lands have
provided energy and minerals, forage, forest products,
and other goods to a growing Nation.

Even today, these lands produce vast amounts of
coal, oil, natural gas, wind power, and geothermal
energy that help meet the Nation’s needs. In doing
so, the agency has shown repeatedly that the public
lands can accommodate uses as diverse as energy pro-
duction, recreation, and open space. In recent years,
technological advances have enabled energy producers
to operate on the public lands in ways that are more
environmentally conscious than ever before, extracting
resources more efficiently while further lessening the
effects on the land.

Providing energy is just a part of what the BLM
does, however BLM lands are also crucial areas for
meeting the pressure of population growth, acting as
critical open-space buffers as western cities and towns
expand. Furthermore, the BLM carries out an array
of conservation programs throughout the public lands,
such as protecting threatened or endangered species,
restoring valuable riparian habitat, and preserving
historical and paleontological resources.

@ BLMNational Monument

em BLM National Conservation
Areas and comparable
designations

Tribal lands where the
BLM manages mineral

operations as part of its pas
trust responsibility a
io hk

Ne &

y:

f
|



How does the BLM manage the public lands?

The BLM manages for a range of uses that is as broad as it is impressive.
The mix of allowed uses depends on an area’s resources and local demands; for
example, some lands are managed primarily for energy production, some for
the protection of specific threatened or endangered species, and still others for
recreation. On all its acres, however, the BLM provides some essential services
that protect the public, such as wildfire management and law enforcement.

The BLM’s flexibility and responsiveness come from the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). This law gives the agency the
discretion to make decisions that satisfy a range of needs. Providing direction
to the BLM for more than a quarter of a century, FLPMA guides the decisions
that agency employees make every day. For example, as population growth has
raised public interest in uses such as recreation and open space on BLM lands,
FLPMA allows the agency to balance these values with traditional uses such
as livestock grazing. And the BLM recognizes that achieving this means com-
municating with the public. By working with local communities, the agency
ensures that citizens can influence management decisions near where they live
and work.

What activities does the BLM manage on the public lands?

The BLM’s activities fall into three broad categories: commercial activities,
recreation, and conservation.

Commercial Activities

Oil and gas, forage for livestock, and forest products are some of the com-
modities that come from BLM’s holdings. BLM lands account for 40 percent
of national coal production, 11 percent of national gas production, and 5
percent of oil production in the United States. These lands are also important
providers of renewable energy resources; 48 percent of the Nation’s geother-
mal production and 15 percent of its installed wind power capacity come
from BLM lands. In addition, the agency provides food and fiber to markets
throughout the United States. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2003, the BLM managed
more than 18,000 livestock grazing permits or leases on 160 million acres of
land and sold over $22 million in forest products. The BLM manages these
activities under multiple-use guidelines that allow a variety of uses to occur on
the public lands without necessarily designating a single use as supreme.

Recreation

The public lands offer a wide range of recreational opportunities. For
those wishing to hunt, fish, or take part in other forms of outdoor recreation,
the BLM has more than 200,000 miles of fishable streams, 2.2 million acres
of lakes and reservoirs, 14,000 miles of floatable rivers, more than 500 boat-
ing access points, and 55 National Back Country Byways. Recreational use
of BLM lands has risen dramatically, from about 50 million visits in 1998 to
almost 53 million visits in FY 2003. The BLM works with a variety of stake-
holders to ensure that visitors enjoy high-quality recreational experiences on
the public lands.