On the Ground

In this debut episode of “We Do That!”, a special new mini-series from the BLM’s On the Ground podcast, we take a look at Wyoming’s National Minerals Testing Laboratory — a small but mighty facility doing big things for the management of our public lands. Included are behind-the-scenes insights on the facility’s history, discussion of ongoing mineral analysis processes, and visions for the future of the laboratory.

In the final installment of BLM On the Ground’s three-part Wildfire Awareness Month podcast series, we discuss wildfire prevention education, the prevalence of human-caused wildfires, and the importance of public responsibility, such as preparing properly before recreating on public lands, checking fire danger levels, and reporting wildfires immediately.

In December 2024, Backpacker.com magazine published an article titled, "Bob Wick Is the Greatest Outdoor Photographer You’ve Never Heard Of." You likely have seen his work on BLM.gov, in social media, in major newspapers and magazines, and on advocacy and industry websites. Today, we visit with the man himself: Bob Wick, whose primary job never was as a photographer. A photographer captures the majesty of the mountains along the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. (Photo by Bob Wick, BLM)

In 2000, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt authorized the creation of the National Landscape Conservation System, the BLM's official directorate for managing National Conservation Lands. In this episode, we reflect on the early years of the NLCS and how BLM created the structure to manage these beautiful and iconic locations with three people who led the program: Elaine Marquis-Brong, Elena Daly, and Carl Rountree. 

In this holiday season of giving, the BLM sincerely thanks the many thousands of volunteers who have freely given their time and efforts to care for public lands. Highlighted in this podcast episode are Sue and Jim Johnston, a couple out of Utah who have been making a difference in our trails in Kanab for more than 10 years. Their positive impact and attitudes towards maintaining public lands, as well as laying the groundwork for future preservation long after they’re gone, is what sets them apart as an admirable model for future generations to follow. The duo has received BLM’s Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award for their continued dedication to beauty and workable recreation.

The Bureau of Land Management today announced a Restoration Blueprint that outlines the need for additional investment to restore public lands. As the largest land manager in the country, BLM is launching the Restoration Blueprint to build upon past efforts and increase the scale and efficacy of its efforts.“It’s important for us to show that we have a plan for how we make sure the landscapes that we manage on behalf of the American people are resilient,” said Sharif Branham, assistant director for BLM’s Resources and Planning Directorate. “We're talking about a way to articulate how ‘this is our plan to make sure that these landscapes provide natural benefits for ecosystem services. Not only for the near future but going forward.’”“Where we see new problems emerge, we want to be positioned to be able to take on those new problems,” Branham said. “We still have multiple use as a responsibility, but here's how we're going to restore and maintain the landscape so that it is possible in the future to have all the options before us for these multiple uses.”BLM has been actively restoring public lands for most of the last 25 years, when severe wildfires in 1999 and 2000 prompted the Bureau to create a system to gather native seeds and plant materials for wildfire recovery. Recent investments from Congress provided much-needed support to increase the amount of restoration work the BLM delivers.The Restoration Blueprint outlines five goals to focus future funding and decision-making: Ensure clean water: Nature-based solutions offer cost-effective approaches, such as projects that mimic wood structures traditionally built by beavers. These efforts connect rivers to their floodplains as nature intended, improving fish habitat and increasing water quality and storage. (Video, Wyoming)Protect communities from wildfire: BLM is committed to protecting communities, reducing wildfire risks, and recovering scorched landscapes. By combining fuels management with community engagement, BLM is aggressively working to minimize the risk and impact of wildfires in changing western landscapes. (Video-Colorado, Audio-Colorado)Promote productive rangelands: Primary threats are invasive non-native species which disrupt the generation of new plant life essential to people and wildlife. By implementing land health standards and working closely with ranchers to adopt sound range management practices—such as resting grazing allotments and timing grazing to favor native plant growth—BLM can help reduce the spread of invasive grasses.  (BLM Blog: Invasive Species and Fire / Partners In The Sage Fire and Invasives website / Video: Outcome Based Grazing, Wyoming)Ensure healthy fish and wildlife habitat: With state and Tribal management agencies, BLM manages habitat for more than 3,000 species, including threatened and endangered species, across some of the nation’s most ecologically diverse and unique landscapes. Habitat restoration efforts by BLM and its partners help maintain the broader ecological integrity of our natural world.  (Blog post/video, Alaska)Deliver exceptional and unique outdoor recreational experiences: As more people seek the outdoors, visitation to public lands is surging. The health and accessibility of these lands is a significant factor that draws visitors. By focusing restoration on improving key recreational experiences, BLM enhances the health of public lands and strengthens the bond of stewardship between the nation and its treasured landscapes.  (Audio-Nevada / Audio-Utah / Video-Arizona)Currently, approximately 12% of BLM’s budget is allocated across 10 national programs to on-the-ground restoration, excluding administrative and personnel costs.

Between Elko and Spring Creek, Nevada, a group of residents and recreation enthusiasts from the Elko Trail Systems Initiative (ETSI) is working with BLM's Tuscarora Field Office to create a new non-motorized trail system. The group hopes that it will bring fun and business to local communities. When completed, the non-motorized trail will be open to hikers, horseback riding, and mountain biking, including e-bikes. Today, we visit with Elisabeth Puentes, Tuscarora Field Manager, about the planning efforts for this new trail system. 

 The Bureau of Land Management works with youth through a variety of programs. Those who come to BLM Visitor Centers and at many public events can quickly find educational programs geared toward young people. BLM also contracts with organizations that hire youth between the ages of 16 and 30 to work on specific public land projects aimed at ecological restoration, noxious weed control, public information, and many other programs. In this episode of "On The Ground: A Bureau of Land Management Podcast," we talk with BLM Specialists putting young people to work. In addition to its regular appropriations from Congress, BLM received an infusion of funds from the Inflation Reduction Act to help train future public land stewards. We'll visit with Maya Fuller, BLM's National Lead for Youth Initiatives funded by IRA about the goals of youth outreach. We'll also talk with BLM specialists in Arizona, Utah and Montana about work planned this summer. And finally, we'll meet a college freshman in Colorado who hopes to make natural resources a future career. It's an extended edition of "On The Ground!" Interviews: Maya Fuller, National Youth Coordinator for Inflation Reduction Act ProjectsRachel Shively, Restoration Landscape Specialist, BLM Arizona Strip Field Office, ArizonaDustin Shaible, Wildlife Biologist, BLM Color Country District, UtahCory Manseau, Project Manager, BLM Dillon Field Office, MontanaGrace Wahl, Intern, BLM Kremmling Field Office, Colorado