What Does the Bureau of Land Management Do? 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for managing both renewable and nonrenewable resources. This mission requires the agency to balance the needs of current people with those of future generations. In addition, BLM must balance the interests of competing interests. In particular, the agency has a conservation mission, which is to protect natural resources and preserve land for future generations. This means managing large areas that are off-limits to extraction and development. These areas provide the best opportunities for recreation and conservation. 

(Looking for a site preparation company, Contact us today!)

Managing public lands 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for managing approximately 245 million acres of public lands throughout the United States. That’s one-eighth of the entire country’s land mass. The lands the Bureau manages include forests, rangelands, high mountains, arctic tundra, and deserts. 

The BLM’s mission is to manage these lands for multiple uses, and it’s important to understand the different priorities. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) defines the agency’s mission and mandate. The agency’s main goals are to promote multiple uses of public lands and sustain a steady yield. 

Developing land-use plans 

Land-use plans are the foundation for all actions by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). They set standards for resource management, and they establish systems for monitoring and evaluating management practices over time. Learn how BLM plans are developed and how to update them. The final rule is important to ensure that plans are up-to-date. 

BLM’s long-term plans determine how much public land can be used for different purposes. These plans are updated every two decades. They govern the management of more than 245 million acres of public land. These plans determine which lands can be developed for fossil fuels, which can be used for grazing livestock, and which should remain protected. A change in one of these plans could lead to a loss of environmental protection. 

Managing oil and gas 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal agency responsible for managing nearly one out of every 10 acres of land in the United States. It administers public lands for many different uses and manages approximately 30 percent of the Nation’s minerals. The agency has broad authority over oil and gas development and leases public lands for various purposes. The Bureau of Land Management also manages lands that are used for livestock grazing, timber production, and conservation. 

BLM employees must complete oil and gas training modules as part of their employment. The training modules are designed to fill knowledge gaps and provide additional guidance for oil and gas workers. The courses are presented online and are flexible for participants. They also provide the agency with an ongoing reference resource for employees. 

Maintaining wildlife management areas 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the agency responsible for managing and protecting wildlife habitats. These areas are vital to wildlife such as an upland game, waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, and hundreds of nongame mammals. The BLM oversees a vast network of wildlife management areas across the country. 

Currently, there are approximately 50,000 wildlife management areas in the United States, all managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM manages these areas for a wide variety of purposes, including recreation and conservation. These areas include hunting, fishing, and birdwatching, which bring in hundreds of millions of dollars every year for local economies. 

Developing socioeconomics program 

To improve the way the Bureau of Land Management manages public lands, the bureau has developed a socioeconomics program. The program integrates social, biological, and economic sciences in planning and decision-making. It also promotes economic sustainability in and near public lands. The program’s goals are to help the BLM achieve its environmental goals while meeting the needs of local communities. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has realized the importance of valuing the nonmarket environmental and human benefits of managing public lands. This is reflected in the Social and Economic Policy and Action Plan of 1981. Yet despite this directive, few of BLM’s socioeconomic impact analyses have considered nonmarket values. Additionally, the bureau did not have the internal expertise to address such issues.