Federal Public Lands

Federal public lands are the national forests, parks, wildlife refuges, rangelands, and other areas owned by the United States on behalf of all citizens. Agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service manage them for different purposes.

Readers usually ask who owns and manages a given area and what uses are allowed. They want to know how drilling, grazing, mining, logging, and recreation fit together, and how the public can comment on decisions. They also ask how land moves into or out of federal ownership and why it is so debated.