The announcement of President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as the next Secretary of the Interior has stirred a lot of mixed feelings in the outdoor and conservation community. As a hunter, angler, and advocate for public lands, I can’t help but feel uneasy about what this means for the future of these spaces.
Let’s start with the facts. Burgum is a billionaire businessman who rose to wealth by investing in tech before entering politics. While he’s expressed some support for hunters and gun rights, his record on public lands and the environment raises significant concerns. North Dakota, where he governs, has very little public land. Despite this, Burgum has pushed for more federal lands to be opened up to mining, oil, and natural gas drilling. That doesn’t sit well with those of us who value these lands for their recreational and ecological importance.
What’s more troubling is Burgum’s alignment with initiatives like Utah’s ongoing lawsuit to transfer federal lands to state control. Proponents claim it’s about better land management, but history tells a different story. These lands often end up on the auction block, sold to private interests. This not only threatens access for hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts but also jeopardizes the delicate ecosystems these lands support.
As someone who cherishes public lands for hunting, fishing, and conservation, I find this deeply concerning. Public lands are a shared resource, managed for the benefit of all Americans. They support energy production, grazing, recreation, and so much more. Handing them over to states with limited budgets often leads to privatization—a loss for everyone except wealthy investors.
The stakes are high. The Supreme Court is set to review Utah’s lawsuit, and with a conservative majority, the outcome could shape the future of federal land management. Now more than ever, it’s vital for sportsmen and women to speak up. Public lands are part of our national identity, and we can’t afford to lose them to short-sighted policies or private interests.
If you care about public lands, reach out to your representatives. Organizations like Backcountry Hunters and Anglers make it easy to find contact information for decision-makers. Let’s make our voices heard—for the sake of future hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts who deserve the same opportunities we’ve had.
Together, we can keep public lands in public hands.
Please reach out to the governor of Utah to urge reconsideration for his drastic lawsuit that will have widespread negative implications across the West:
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