Opinion
As Wyoming prepares to celebrate its annual Public Lands Day on Saturday, we find ourselves reflecting on how those lands shape where we live, work and play. Here in Wyoming, this important day brings a deeper appreciation for our shared legacy, as we ponder not only our own history, but the enduring strength of the community and traditions shaped in the wide open spaces that we all love. For those of us fortunate to call Wyoming home, those traditions are deeply rooted in our shared public lands.
Wyoming is, after all, the birthplace of “America’s best idea,” the uniquely American notion that our most spectacular landscapes should be held in trust for everyone, not just the wealthy or elite. Back in 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the act creating Yellowstone National Park, he set a precedent for the nation. He recognized that there are places in this country too special to be sold off and locked behind private gates.
More than 150 years later, we recognize the full scope of that idea. Here in Wyoming, public lands are more than just historical markers or scenic backdrops for a postcard. They are the bedrock of the Wyoming way of life. We rely on these lands for grazing, good-paying jobs, clean water, wildlife habitat and seemingly endless freedom to roam. Cresting a ridge to discover a hidden pocket of the backcountry, you realize that this is what keeps us grounded and what keeps us moving forward.
When we look at a Wyoming state map, we see small towns surrounded by the color-coded shading of national forests and BLM acreage, but we also see our livelihoods, the heartbeat of our $2.3 billion recreation economy pulsing through gateways to the outdoors. We see diverse businesses from our outdoors store in Pinedale to the outfitter in Cody, the sawmill in Dubois, the coffee shop in Buffalo to all the local motels that are keeping the lights on in our communities. And we see equality — the places where everyone, mechanic or millionaire, has the same right to walk the trails or fish the streams.
But Wyoming’s public lands story runs much deeper than outdoor recreation. Thousands of our neighbors are working hard in natural resource jobs like energy development, mining and ranching. These folks rely on those same public lands to put food on the table, and the multiple-use approach to land management is what keeps our state humming. It’s how we protect the landscapes, the water and the wildlife that defines Wyoming while helping to feed and power the nation.
It’s a delicate balance, but we’ve found a way to make it all work. And that history of collaboration is a legacy we should be proud to carry forward and celebrate through Public Lands Day and beyond.
I have the great privilege of having grown up in Wyoming and have enjoyed our amazing public lands with family, friends and neighbors. Wyoming’s public lands have been the constant backdrop of our livelihoods. Pack trips up the Gros Ventre, hunting on public land around Kirby and Thermopolis and fishing around the state; these are all memories I cherish. I want to create more of them with my children and instill the same sense of gratitude that I have for the public lands that we are able to enjoy.
I am proud to support the “Keep It Public, Wyoming” coalition in voicing our strong opposition to the sell-off of America’s public lands. Those wide-open spaces are part of a heritage worth stewarding. It’s why the recent passage of Senate Joint Resolution 9 in our state Legislature felt like such a win — it reaffirmed our commitment to this proven model of management and it acknowledged that we know our own backyard better than anyone else.
As we look toward the future, we have a real opportunity to keep this momentum going with practical, sensible policies that keep our gates open and our heritage wild. But the truth is that we need more than state resolutions. We need real, principled support from our federal delegation. I urge you to contact our representatives to make sure they know how important protecting these lands for future generations is to all of us.
A majority of Wyoming voters are with us. More than 90% in a recent survey said they oppose proposals calling for the sell off of federally managed public land, such as those managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service. As I crossed the state this summer, a supporter in Cheyenne put it more eloquently than I ever could: “Public lands are a part of Wyoming culture and character, and without them, we lose the essence of what makes our state so special.”
Keeping our public lands in public hands means we can pass this gift to the next generation, a sacred responsibility. In the same poll, 92% of voters said they or someone in their household hunts, fishes or recreates on public lands. That tells me the next generation is already falling in love with this place defined by our public lands..
So, as Wyoming Public Lands Day approaches, take a moment to stop and look at the horizon. Those ridgelines and rivers belong to you, and the freedom to get outside and access these lands is a gift we must protect for the generations to come. It’s a big responsibility. But as anyone who’s spent a golden afternoon in the glow of the backcountry knows, it’s work worth doing and a true testament to the liberty and land we cherish.
Let’s celebrate the past, but more importantly, let’s make sure we’re securing the future. Because if we keep these lands public, our great-grandkids will be able to stand in the same spot generations from now, looking out at the same wild, open Wyoming that we love today. And that will be a special day indeed.
