Photo by Russell Schnitzer.

Comment Deadline is July 20

The Bureau of Land Management is now accepting comments from the public on its Bighorn Basin draft 20-year resource management plan.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of this long-term plan.

When finalized it will guide how BLM lands in the Bighorn Basin, and its piece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, are managed for the next 20 years.

And it will determine where energy development can occur, how wildlife habitat is managed and protected, and what areas will be prioritized for recreation, among many other important decisions.

The Wyoming Outdoor Council will be submitting in-depth comments on this proposed plan, and we encourage you to comment individually, as well.

Why Participate?

The plan still needs to be improved before it is finalized.

As written, it doesn’t do enough to protect the values of the Absaroka-Beartooth Front, the Bighorn Front, or the Fifteenmile Basin (see maps below).

Better planning will help maintain the crucial wildlife habitat, prized hiking spots, and scenic vistas that make the Bighorn Basin what it is.

Your input can help convince the BLM to modify its draft plan, perhaps significantly, before it becomes final. Public input is essential to ensuring a balanced plan that gives due weight to local values and uses, while allowing for both conservation and responsible energy development.

The deadline for submitting comments is July 20.

We are here to help you!

• Take advantage of our Bighorn Basin planning webpage and explore the resources provided there. You will find maps, informational materials, commenting tips, and more.
• Call or email Nathan Maxon. He can help you understand what the draft plan means for your favorite place and assist you in writing effective comments to ask the BLM to keep it the way it is.
• Get the latest updates from our staff at our outings, meetings, and other events.
• For background information, browse our 2010 Spring Frontline, which focused on ensuring good stewardship of the Bighorn Basin.

We can realize visionary long-term stewardship of the Bighorn Basin by working together.

How to participate

Dig into the draft plan online by clicking here.

OR

Send a letter or email to:
Caleb Hiner, planning project lead
BLM Worland Field Office
P.O. Box 119
Worland, WY 82401

BBRMP@blm.gov
307.347.5100

Commenting Tips

1. Learn what the BLM has planned for your favorite places.

• Contact the BLM or the Outdoor Council for help.

2. Write a letter or email to the BLM:

• Describe your connection to the specific places you are commenting on–you might live nearby, hunt, fish, camp, or hike in a certain area, or perhaps the wildlife you enjoy rely on these lands to survive the winter.
• Tell the BLM whether you think the proposed plan will adequately preserve the places you care about most, and why.

Click on the image below for a PDF that includes a map and more information about the Absaroka-Beartooth Front.

Click on the image below for a PDF that includes a map and more information about the Bighorn Front.

Click on the image below for a PDF that includes a map and more information about the Fifteenmile Basin.