It’s Important to Give Back to Our Public Lands
Corey Anco is assistant curator at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming
There exists a fundamental need in each of us to connect with nature and one another. Access to nature, afforded through public lands, provides us with nearly endless opportunities and benefits.
Nature reduces stress and anxiety, increases cognitive and neurological functions, reduces mental fatigue, restores ‘mindfulness’, improves recovery time from injuries and illnesses, increases productivity and physical performance, and improves quality of life. Beyond health benefits spending time in nature also rekindles adventurous spirits and youthful curiosities.
I live in Park County, Wyoming situated near some of the most iconic landscapes in the world. These lands and waterways offer recreational opportunities to meet nearly every outdoor enthusiast’s needs. Travel 15 minutes in any direction from Cody, and you will find yourself at a trailhead. More than likely you’ll be alone. As citizens of this great country, we have the privilege of accessing and using public lands for a wide variety of activities. And we do. We hunt, fish, hike, camp, bike, climb, ski, ride ATVs and dirt bikes, harvest timber, photograph wildlife and landscapes, the list goes on. However, the number of users far exceeds those who work and volunteer to offset user impacts to these sites.
Public lands immediately surrounding Cody are primarily administered by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Resource limitations in personnel and budgets hamstring these agencies (and others) from addressing a $19.38 billion backlog of maintenance needs. But volunteers play a critical role in closing resource gaps. In 2019, about 156,000 volunteers contributed >620,000 work hours during National Public Lands Day (NPLD); a collective contribution estimated at nearly $16 million dollars. Volunteers removed trash, improved access to back-country trails, restored habitat, stabilized streams, increased fence permeability for wildlife, and installed signage/infrastructure among other activities to increase the quality, enjoyment, and use of public areas.
As users, we are ethically responsible for the wellbeing of public lands. Which begs the question: when is the last time you had an opportunity to volunteer?
The most common reason people volunteer their time for events like National Public Lands Day is to ‘help the environment’ reflecting a need and desire for a positive relationship connecting us with nature and each other. Volunteering fulfills the objective to make a positive, tangible impact upon the environment, while physically being outdoors gets us away from screens, outside of buildings, and into nature where we receive an abundance of health benefits. When it comes to using our time wisely, volunteering might be one of the best things we can do for ourselves and the environment.
Technology links the world digitally — and during the coronavirus pandemic it has been vital to keep us connected. But the pandemic has also shown us how important public lands are to our mental health and well-being. Hiking and biking trails have never been more crowded. Campgrounds have been filled to capacity. And the sale of fishing licenses are at an all-time high. This fundamental necessity to connect with nature is profound.
But let’s remember that in addition to enjoying our public lands, we should also help with their stewardship. This year, some volunteer activities for public lands day will look a little different and will include masks and social distancing. But it’s still important to get out there and give back. I hope you’ll consider volunteering on some public lands near you.
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So many of our country’s parks and public lands written about in these love notes would not exist but for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This important conservation program was permanently funded when Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act earlier this summer. You can learn more about the Land and Water Conservation Fund here.
Would you like to write about public lands that you cherish? Please email Mary Jo Brooks at brooksm@nwf.org for guidelines.
