Public Lands and Law Reform: Putting Theory, Policy, and Practice in Perspective

Abstract:     
Federal public land law and policy is in a transitional phase today that is setting the stage for further reform efforts. The article begins by recounting the evolution of public land policy and identifying the principal forces for change at work today. It then examines the various policy models that have periodically held sway over the public lands and assesses whether any of these models present viable reform options. These policy models encompass an array of competing resource management philosophies, including privatization, utilitarianism, preservation, devolution, legal planning, ecological sustainability, place-based, and hybrid models. The article concludes with observations on legal reform opportunities and pitfalls, potential strategies for moving the reform process forward, and the role another public land commission might play in this process.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 101

Keywords: environmental law, Federal public land law, resource management

Accepted Paper Series