“A Civilization to Match Its Sceneryâ€: Western Land Management Policy and Canyonlands National Park
Abstract
This paper addresses the underlying tensions between development and conservation inherent in western land policy, as revealed by the December 19th Bureau of Land Management (BLM) energy leasing controversy.Using Canyonlands National Park and the surrounding erosion basin as a case study, this paper highlights the history and development of these opposing land management philosophies as embodied by the BLM (multiple-use) and the National Park Service (conservation). This conflict is explored in the context of BLMNPS border issues in the lands adjacent to Canyonlands National Park, with a focus on oil/gas development,off-highway vehicles (OHV), and impact on local communities. Several possibilities for ensuring better management of the entire Canyonlands basin ecosystem are explored, with the ultimate recommendation that thelands surrounding the national park be designated a national preserve under NPS-management. The paper concludes with a call for larger western land policy reform.Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
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