MANAGEMENT OF MINERAL DEVELOPMENT ON PUBLIC LANDS

• Jurisdiction: United States

Mineral Development and Land Use
(May 1995)
CHAPTER 11B
MANAGEMENT OF MINERAL DEVELOPMENT ON PUBLIC LANDS
Robert M. Anderson
Bureau of Land Management
Sacramento, California

ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT: HOW THE ENERGY AND MINERALS INDUSTRIES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON PUBLIC LANDS

BY BOB ANDERSON AND CARL ROUNTREE

ABSTRACT: The energy and mineral industries are perplexed on what ecosystem management is and how it will impact their industries. The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) objectives are ecological sustainability of lands, functioning ecosystems which can accommodate uses such as recreation, and the production of food, fiber and minerals. These objectives will be met using good science, on a landscape basis, involving multi-jurisdictions, multi-habitats and multi-species. Common sense and good judgement will also be a key ingredient in reaching these objectives.

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

The Bureau of Land Management has adopted "Ecosystem Management" as its basis for managing the public lands. It is a philosophy which emphasizes caring for ecological systems rather than individual resource programs, while recognizing that people and their social, economic and cultural needs are integral factors of natural systems.

WHY IS THE FOCUS ON ECOSYSTEMS?

There is a concern in the United States about the loss of biological diversity. For example, in California where the human population exceeds 30 million, there are 115 threatened and endangered species listed, and 850 species that are candidates for listing.

As a nation, we are experiencing conflicts between the development for human accommodation and the conservation of habitat for plants and animals. Both are difficult to resolve under past land management practices conducted by private, county, state and federal land managers.

The listing of wildlife and plant species, and the subsequent development of recovery plans under the Endangered Species Act, have left developers and many resource-dependent communities feeling they are in gridlock. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt refers to this conflict as an "environmental train wreck", the likes of which need to be avoided in the future.

The solution to this debate is to find ways to conserve biological diversity while maintaining a healthy economy. Strategies can be found

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through "Coordinated Resource Management Planning", utilizing groups that are committed to this collaborative decision making process. (See Table on pages 3 & 4 for old vs new strategy).

PLANNING GROUPS

To be effective partners in ecosystem planning, it is essential for the energy and minerals industries to be actively represented on planning groups. Planning groups are the vehicles through which...