In Part 1, the respondents spoke of public lands as a refuge for the “common man.” They described bonds they and their families formed with specific places that became part of their identity.
Opinion
In Part 2, responses focused on connections between people and place, stewardship and personal ethics. As before, I have collated responses into categories, along with original quotes that eloquently express the thoughts of these public land users.
We find connection on public lands, not only with the land and wildlife but with other people. The notion that these public lands represent a legacy that cuts across generations leads to the associated perception that they are a place of connection. That connection begins as a person’s connection to the land. But they also connect us, one person with another.
“My grandmother’s ranch was the heart of home for our family. But the ranch is gone, and I am haunted by the loss. Though we called the land itself ‘ours,’ we did not own the minerals below. When we found evidence that strangers had been on our land staking out claims to the uranium below, it spooked my grandmother and she sold out. We would never return. We had no place else to go, so we went to public land. We laughed and we somehow felt joy despite our loss. We felt union, we felt connection, we felt belonging. We felt healing. We still owned land, alongside millions of our fellow Americans.” — Tom
“Public lands in Wyoming along the historic trails have connected me with my ancestors. Seeing country that looked very similar to what it was like when they traveled through Wyoming gives me a sense of appreciation for both their experience and the landscapes themselves. I hope the views can be conserved for many generations to come.” — Chad
“I caught my first trout as a preteen in a lake high in the Cloud Peak Wilderness, shot my first turkey on a patch of forest in the Black Hills, and harvested my first antelope on a yawning stretch of Bureau of Land Management land southwest of Laramie. It’s where I learned to backpack, and where I now teach my daughter to do the same. Public lands remind me of the abundance we still have because of the sheer stubbornness of those who came before me. Public lands teach me — force me to see — how much beauty life and nature contain. And at the same time, they remind me of how much we have to lose.” — Christine
We see ourselves as stewards of public lands. One of the most unique aspects of the public lands in Wyoming is their history of inspiring a shared feeling of ownership, of “skin in the game” from a host of different users. Some respondents viewed this as a progressive process: The more they grew in their relationship to a specific area, the more they came to care about it and the more engaged they became in actively caring for it.
“I once viewed public lands primarily as places to hunt, fish, watch wildlife, or recreate. I didn’t feel any personal ownership or responsibility. That may be how many Americans interact with public land, at least at first. That changed once I became actively involved in maintaining habitat, improving access, protecting resources and making decisions that will echo decades into the future. It became personal. You begin to understand what it means to hold something in trust for others, not just for today’s users, but for generations you’ll never meet. You no longer just use the land; you care for it. Public lands taught me stewardship in a way nothing else could.” — Micah
“The first time I experienced our public land, I was a 21-year-old from an area of the country that had almost no public land. I drove out south of Rock Springs and just sat and looked at all the openness and beauty of the country. I had to live here. Every time I travel out onto our public lands I learn something new about the wildlife and wild places. It is the reason I began to advocate for the wildlife and wild places over 35 years ago. Public lands have made me who I am today.” — Steve
Public lands provide the backdrop for developing a personal ethical framework that extends to every other facet of life. Many respondents mentioned life lessons learned on public lands that had application in their lives far beyond that setting: Seeing oneself as a part of a natural community rather than a master over it, benefiting entire communities rather than specific members of that community, self-control, humility and a personal code of conduct.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on public lands. Not much of that time has been what I’d call easy or fun. A lot of it was unpleasant. Life is like that sometimes. But spotting that elk, getting that fish to bite, seeing those stars made it all worthwhile. I look back and realize my time spent on public lands was hard, and that’s ok. I learned the importance of perseverance and determination — sticking with it to the end. Invaluable lessons I’ll carry with me the rest of my life.” — Dillon
“Most public lands out here are unforgiving; make a mistake, you have to own it. If you walk down the hill, you have to walk back up if that is where the truck is. Cry all you want; it’s not going to change. Shoot two elk in the afternoon with your buddy more than 2 miles from camp, cowboy up and get to work. Public lands offer this unforgiving, matter-of-fact, teachings these days that are hard to come by.” — Nick
“Six decades of work and play on public lands, often solo, have sculpted the person I’ve become. Most impactful is becoming comfortable —even grateful — being alone with my thoughts for long periods hiking through the sage or bouncing down a two-track trail. While not intentionally meditative, I suspect the results are similar. I’ve developed competence and confidence in safely navigating and exploring vast, ‘empty’ landscapes.” — Red
Connection, stewardship and personal ethics: These are high-order values — very Wyoming values. No wonder then that the notion of selling public lands strikes at the core of who we are as individuals and who we are collectively as a people. Public lands are the American commons — a shared legacy we treasure and one we will fight to keep.