There are over 18 million acres of public lands administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Wyoming today. These landscapes are typically at lower elevations than many National Forest lands in the state and as a result, are characterized by their desert ecosystems. These badlands, dune fields, rock outcrops, sagebrush communities, alkali flats and other special environments make up the majority of BLM land. Unfortunately, the protection of primitive, wild places on these lands and the conservation of sensitive species has not been a top-tier priority of the BLM in Wyoming.

BLM administered public lands have been managed largely in order to accommodate livestock, promote motorized recreation access and to maximize oil, gas, coal, and other mineral development. As a result, thousands of miles of roads and pipeline criss-cross these unique landscapes. Fortunately, a small percentage of Wyoming BLM lands remain undeveloped, at least for now. These lands are much of what remains of our heritage in Wyoming and the American West.