This land is your land

Do you value what you own? I do.

One thing of great value, that every American citizen owns, is public lands. National parks and monuments, Forest Service lands, Bureau of Land Management lands, rivers. They are where we hike, sightsee, fish, hunt and camp. They have value to us as exceptional places to hold dear and pass on to our children.

They also generate a lot of financial value to surrounding communities. For example, the National Park Service generates $15 from every $1 of its budget.

Public lands are at risk of being sold. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget bill in May that includes plans to sell public lands. The immediate target of public lands sales is in Utah and Nevada, about half a million acres, deceitfully described as locations for building affordable housing.

Think about Montana, and how much stunning and precious public land could be next.

Public lands belong to you. If you value these national treasures, let your U.S. Representatives and Senators know that you do not want them sold.

– Stephanie Brancati, Big Arm