Public Lands Foundation

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Foundation for America’s Public Lands

and Public Lands Foundation Explained

In 2017, Congress established a new foundation to support the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), within the Department of the Interior.  However, it was not organized or funded until recently.

Funding was approved in 2021 and on January 19, 2022, the new “Foundation for America’s Public Lands” was announced by Interior Secretary Haaland. See the press release here:  https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-announces-historic-launch-foundation-americas-public-lands. Four initial Board members were announced, including former Montana Governor Steve Bullock; Maite Arce, Founder of the Hispanic Access Foundation; Neil Kornze, former BLM Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Campion Advocacy Fund and Campion Foundation; and Stacy Leeds, an experienced leader in law, higher education, governance, economic development, and conflict resolution.  Five other Board members will be announced at a later date.

The new Foundation will help leverage public and private dollars to conserve, protect and restore land managed by the BLM for the benefit of the American people.

The Public Lands Foundation (PLF) has been a strong proponent in advocating for the new Foundation for America’s Public Lands to help provide the Bureau of Land Management with the same kind of support that similar foundations do for the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.

The PLF is a wholly separate organization from the Foundation for America’s Public Lands. The PLF is a 35-years strong national non-profit membership organization incorporated in 1987 that advocates and works for the retention of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the public’s hands; professionally and sustainably managed for the responsible use and enjoyment of American citizens.  PLF members are predominantly retired employees of the Bureau of Land Management and as such have spent their careers dedicated to the sound management of these valuable public lands and resources.  The members represent the broad spectrum of knowledge needed for public land management.

The PLF is looking forward to working with the new Foundation and providing support consistent with our mutual missions and interests.  The PLF has been actively engaged and involved with advocacy efforts in support of the BLM and responsible use of the public lands, Public Lands Day activities, outreach efforts with current BLM employees and BLM retirees, support for BLM employee training and development programs, scholarship opportunities for students pursuing degrees in natural resources management, and sponsorship of a Student Congress program to educate college students on the history and current issues related to public land management.  It is anticipated that the PLF can continue to support these efforts in collaboration with the new Foundation.  If you would like to support the PLF, click here.