Defend Your Ground

Episode 31: Should National Parks Continue to Allow E-Bikes?

The National Park Service is re-evaluating their rule to allow e-bikes in national parks. After listening to the show, you can add your voice to the process here:
Make a Public Comment on the Plan
 

Episode 30: Ohwyee Canyons Access at Risk

Western Idaho is undergoing travel management, which designates routes in the area of Canyonlands East in Owyhee County. This is the Fossil Butte and Grandview areas. The project area is 815, 677 acres. Known for off roading, single track, camping and access to rivers and lakes, the BLM is analyzing the majority of the routes in this area.
Add your voice here: https://www.sharetrails.org/canyonlands-east-in-owyhee-idaho-travel-management/
Senator Wyden of Oregon has proposed a bill which will designate 1,134,292 acres as Wilderness completely restricted from motorized and mechanized use in the south eastern corner of Oregon and into Idaho. That is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. This area already sees large amounts of wildfires and restrictive management will only exacerbate this issue. The resources they claim to want to protect are the most threatened because of wildfires.
Known for overlanding, off-roading, single track use and many forms of recreation this bill would be catastrophic to the current and future users and communities of this area.
Add your voice here: https://www.sharetrails.org/oppose-the-owyhee-wilderness-in-eastern-oregon-and-western-idaho/

Episode 29: Wacky Comments from Bureau of Land Management Conservation Rule Supporters

We reviewed the public records for comments that have been submitted for the BLM conservation rule that will sell our public lands to the highest bidder, and we found some hidden gems among the 150,000 comments already submitted. In this episode we read and discuss what advocates for the rule are saying. If you don't add your voice to the process, these are the comments the Bureau of Land Management will listen to.
Add your voice here: https://www.sharetrails.org/blm-proposed-rule-to-sell-public-land-to-highest-bidder/

Episode 28: Former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt Joins Us

Former Secretary of the Department of the Interior Joins the Defend Your Ground Podcast to discuss his new book: You Report to Me.
Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/You-Report-Me-Accountability-Administrative/dp/1641773308/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HUMH3R0CUYEQ&keywords=you+report+to+me&qid=1685050820&sprefix=%2Caps%2C307&sr=8-1
In the podcast we discuss ways the public can hold the administrative state accountable, and Secretary Bernhardt shares several of his experiences working as a member of President Trump's cabinet. You won't want to miss this great discussion with one of our nation's most influential leaders of our public land system.

Episode 27: What is Wilderness Laundering?

The Lolo National Forest in Montana is recommending more wilderness designations in their upcoming forest plan. We talk about why you should oppose this. 
The Bureau of Land Management recently proposed a new rule to prioritize conservation on BLM lands. The United States Forest Service released a companion rule that raises questions about what exactly the forest should be prioritizing as the forests they manage are increasingly burning up in catastrophic wildfires.

Episode 26: Will New Public Land Rule Lead to Foreign Control of Public Land?

The deeper we dive into the Bureau of Land Management's Public Land Rule to sell "conservation leases" on public land, the more problems we are finding.
They don't have authority to create this rule
The rule won't work
The rule is unnecessary
The rule could lead to foreign interference in public land management.
All public land stakeholders should unite to oppose this plan.
You can add your voice to oppose this rule here: https://www.sharetrails.org/blm-proposed-rule-to-sell-public-land-to-highest-bidder/#/112/

Episode 25: Should the Forest Service Use Fire Retardant to Fight Wildfires?

Lawsuits have been filed to challenge the USFS use of fire retardant dropped from aircraft to fight wildfires. In this episode we discuss the merits of this challenge and what BRC is doing to advocate for better forest management.
In the second half of the episode we discuss the Upper Snake River Travel Plan that is open for public comment in Eastern Idaho. You can add your voice to the comment period until July 10, 2023 here: https://www.sharetrails.org/upper-snake-blm-area-in-idaho-slated-for-numerous-road-closures/

Episode 24: Moab Dispersed Camping Changes and the New Public Land Rule

Ben and Simone discuss the Moab dispersed camping plan that is currently open for public comment. New regulations are in the works to manage some of the impacts. A broad restriction in the Labyrinth Rims/Gemini Bridges Area is in the works to limit open, free, dispersed camping to designated sites.
Take Action Here: https://www.sharetrails.org/the-fight-for-dispersed-camping-near-moab-continues/#/107/
We also discuss the Bureau of Land Management's newly proposed Public Land Rule. This is a controversial new rule that will allow BLM to sell off public lands to the highest bidder in the form of "conservation leases." If you enjoy using multiple-use public land, it is important to learn about this rule and add your voice to opposing it.
Add your voice: https://www.sharetrails.org/blm-proposed-rule-to-sell-public-land-to-highest-bidder/#/112/