National Monument Reviews: All Politics or Fair and Balanced Assessments?

Partisan politics motivated President Trump’s executive order to review national monument designations. How the government carries out the first assessment, of Bears Ears in Utah, will provide insight on its overall approach to these reviews.

Trump’s Review of National Monument Designation Points to Larger Public Lands Issues

The controversy over the designation of national monuments is just one of several problems facing our nation’s public lands, many of which deserve greater attention in light of changes in the US economy and socio-demographics.

“Conservation Reconsidered” Turns 50: The Environmental Turn in Natural Resource Economics

Environmentalism in the United States historically has been divided into two camps: conservation and preservation. A pioneer in environmental economics, John Krutilla helped define the field by accounting for the concerns of each side.

The Tilling of Land in a Changing Climate: Panel Data Evidence from the Nile Basin of Ethiopia

The Land Certification Program and Off-Farm Employment in Ethiopia

RFF on the Issues: Managing Overcrowded National Parks

An increase in visitors to some of the nation’s most popular parks—such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon—has led to a number of problems for park management: traffic congestion, air pollution, and even discarded toilet paper.

The Economics of Coal Leasing on Federal Lands: Ensuring a Fair Return to Taxpayers

At this RFF seminar, Jason Furman, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), unveiled a new CEA report that examines the economic principles underlying the program, discusses the case for reform, and provides quantitative estimates of the effects of such changes. Furman's remarks were followed by an expert panel discussion on reforming the federal coal leasing program.

Reflecting on America’s Great Outdoors: Persistent Challenges and Enduring Recommendations

As Memorial Day approaches and the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary draws near, I’ve been looking back at a pair of 2009 reports on America’s “great outdoors.

RFF on the Issues: Addressing Challenges at the National Park Service

In an interview with the Washington Post, National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis describes various challenges facing the Park Service at its 100th anniversary, including a maintenance backlog of more than $11 billion, the effects of climate change, and park financing parks in the twenty-first century.

The Storm Gathering over Public Lands

Last week, US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell gave a speech on the future of conservation and public lands in this country. One important topic was the Antiquities Act—a piece of federal legislation that many Americans have probably never heard of but that is part of the gathering storm over public lands management and policy.