Public lands important
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Editor,
Our predecessors came from a continent on which the 1 percent truly controlled all large tracts of land. A new nation’s creation of public land was an act of tremendous imagination in the service of a new democracy – and a new way of understanding the role of government as serving the entire public.
As a Montanan, I know how valuable public land is. This is not land that is locked away from the people. It is land that belongs to all citizens. We use such land to hike, backpack, hunt and fish. It is valuable for science and for preservation of historical sites – particularly those of importance to Native Americans. It protects wildlife habitat and protects the sources of our water. It is our spiritual home. National monuments and parks stimulate local economies. In short, such monuments and parks are good for citizens and good for states – although perhaps not so good for extractive industries that benefit the few.
Twenty-seven national monuments are now under review by the Trump administration – including Montana’s Missouri Breaks. If you value public land, go to Regulations.Gov, and type in DOI-2017-0002 to comment.
Gail Trenfield
St. Ignatius
