Since January, our nation’s public lands—including National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and Bureau of Land Management areas—have been thrust into turmoil. As the busy summer recreation season begins, these agencies face deep dysfunction: funding freezes, mass staff firings, and political pressure to prioritize logging, mining, and fossil fuel development above all else. Some members of Congress are even floating proposals to sell off public lands to fund tax cuts.
At this critical moment, listen in on Oregon Wild and the National Parks Conservation Association’s urgent and timely conversation about the future of America’s public lands. We were joined by Chuck Sams, former Director of the National Park Service and the first Indigenous person to lead the agency, and Kristen Brengel, Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association.
Together, we explored the growing threats to our public lands, what these changes will mean for the places we love, and how everyday Americans can take action to defend our shared natural heritage.
Photo by Sungwook Choi
