LAW, POLITICS, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION ON PUBLIC LANDS: AN ADDENDUM TO PROFESSOR LIN'S ACCESS ANALYSIS

[...]the realm of public land constituencies includes those whose interests do not align with recreational use, such as the timber, mining, energy, and ranching industries that long occupied a priority position among public land users.7 In recent years, however, the hierarchy of public land uses has noticeably shifted, driven by evolving public values, related economic considerations, and other factors. [...]conservation and recreation have displaced the historic extractive uses in many locations,8 while Congress has steadily increased the acreage set aside for these amenity purposes.9 As an economic matter, visitation and outdoor recreation on the public lands generate significant economic benefits at the national, state, and local levels. In 2022, the national parks hosted 312 million recreation visits, generated $23.9 billion in economic activity for gateway regions, and contributed 378,400 jobs to the national economy.16 The Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") reported more than 80 million recreation visits in 2022, $11.4 billion in related economic activity, and 76,000 recreationrelated jobs.17 According to a 2016 report, the Forest Service registered 146 million recreation visits to the national forests, which accounted for $9 billion in economic activity and 148,000 jobs,18 while the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service calculated the national wildlife refuges hosted 50 million visitors, generated $3 billion in economic activity, and supported 37,000 jobs.19 By any measure, these figures are eye opening and continue to increase annually. The importance of outdoor recreation and tourism at the state level is reflected in the fact that several states have established outdoor recreation offices to promote recreational activities and related businesses statewide.22 Local communities situated amidst the public lands likewise regularly seek to attract visitors by extolling the recreational and sightseeing opportunities available on nearby public lands.