BLM issues call to restore our public lands

The Bureau of Land Management today announced a Restoration Blueprint that outlines the need for additional investment to restore public lands. As the largest land manager in the country, BLM is launching the Restoration Blueprint to build upon past efforts and increase the scale and efficacy of its efforts.“It’s important for us to show that we have a plan for how we make sure the landscapes that we manage on behalf of the American people are resilient,” said Sharif Branham, assistant director for BLM’s Resources and Planning Directorate. “We're talking about a way to articulate how ‘this is our plan to make sure that these landscapes provide natural benefits for ecosystem services. Not only for the near future but going forward.’”“Where we see new problems emerge, we want to be positioned to be able to take on those new problems,” Branham said. “We still have multiple use as a responsibility, but here's how we're going to restore and maintain the landscape so that it is possible in the future to have all the options before us for these multiple uses.”BLM has been actively restoring public lands for most of the last 25 years, when severe wildfires in 1999 and 2000 prompted the Bureau to create a system to gather native seeds and plant materials for wildfire recovery. Recent investments from Congress provided much-needed support to increase the amount of restoration work the BLM delivers.The Restoration Blueprint outlines five goals to focus future funding and decision-making: Ensure clean water: Nature-based solutions offer cost-effective approaches, such as projects that mimic wood structures traditionally built by beavers. These efforts connect rivers to their floodplains as nature intended, improving fish habitat and increasing water quality and storage. (Video, Wyoming)Protect communities from wildfire: BLM is committed to protecting communities, reducing wildfire risks, and recovering scorched landscapes. By combining fuels management with community engagement, BLM is aggressively working to minimize the risk and impact of wildfires in changing western landscapes. (Video-Colorado, Audio-Colorado)Promote productive rangelands: Primary threats are invasive non-native species which disrupt the generation of new plant life essential to people and wildlife. By implementing land health standards and working closely with ranchers to adopt sound range management practices—such as resting grazing allotments and timing grazing to favor native plant growth—BLM can help reduce the spread of invasive grasses.  (BLM Blog: Invasive Species and Fire / Partners In The Sage Fire and Invasives website / Video: Outcome Based Grazing, Wyoming)Ensure healthy fish and wildlife habitat: With state and Tribal management agencies, BLM manages habitat for more than 3,000 species, including threatened and endangered species, across some of the nation’s most ecologically diverse and unique landscapes. Habitat restoration efforts by BLM and its partners help maintain the broader ecological integrity of our natural world.  (Blog post/video, Alaska)Deliver exceptional and unique outdoor recreational experiences: As more people seek the outdoors, visitation to public lands is surging. The health and accessibility of these lands is a significant factor that draws visitors. By focusing restoration on improving key recreational experiences, BLM enhances the health of public lands and strengthens the bond of stewardship between the nation and its treasured landscapes.  (Audio-Nevada / Audio-Utah / Video-Arizona)Currently, approximately 12% of BLM’s budget is allocated across 10 national programs to on-the-ground restoration, excluding administrative and personnel costs.