Public Lands Grazing Reform Webinar: What’s Changing and Why It Matters for the West

Denver, CO – Public lands grazing policy affects millions of acres across the American West and influences everything from wildlife habitat and watershed health to wildfire resilience, rural economies and the ranching families who steward these landscapes. 

To help the public better understand significant federal policy changes currently underway, Western Landowners Alliance (WLA) is hosting a free webinar exploring recent and proposed reforms to grazing management on public lands. 

Recent developments include a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) intended to improve coordination of grazing management, as well as proposed revisions to BLM grazing regulations. Together, these changes could influence how grazing is managed across hundreds of millions of acres of federal lands throughout the West. 

“Healthy rangelands require flexibility, accountability, and the ability to adapt management to changing conditions on the ground,” said Lesli Allison, CEO of the Western Landowners Alliance. “We are actively engaging producers, conservation partners, and place-based organizations across the West to better understand the implications of the rule and develop thoughtful recommendations for the Department of the Interior.” 

Too often, conversations about public lands management are reduced to overly simplistic and polarized narratives, when in reality the issues are complex and incredibly nuanced. 

“Public lands are a shared resource that support wildlife, recreation, rural communities, and working ranches,” said Shaleas Harrison, Western Policy Manager for the Western Landowners Alliance. “We are committed to creating space for thoughtful dialogue, helping people better understand the challenges and opportunities before us, and building the durable policies needed to sustain whole and healthy lands.” 

The webinar will feature Brenda Younkin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management at the U.S. Department of the Interior, plus conservation experts and public land permittees. Speakers will discuss recent policy developments, the goals behind them and what they could mean for grazing management, rangeland health and the stewardship of public lands moving forward. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions directly of speakers. A recording will be available to registrants following the webinar.

Webinar Details

What: Public Lands Grazing Reform: What’s Changing and Why It Matters for the West
When: Wednesday, June 24th | 11am MST 
Where: Online Webinar – Zoom
Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7817810258686/WN_mn-ELvxcQaey2Y1I9NXv-Q

About Western Landowners Alliance 

Western Landowners Alliance advances policies and practices that sustain working lands, connected landscapes and native species. Through policy leadership, peer learning and collaborative conservation, WLA supports the landowners and land managers who steward the lands and waters that sustain the West.