New B-L-M initiative hopes to improve how agency works with land users

After a series of high profile protests across several Western states, the Bureau of Land Management is working to improve the way it functions and interacts with land users. This in turn would hopefully reduce the level and frustration people have towards the agency.

“Planning 2.0 is our new initiative that’s out there to improve our planning process,” said Sarah Wheeler with the Bureau of Land Management. “We want to take a process that’s kind of bogged down, and make it more durable, more efficient, and make it more dynamic.”

Wheeler says the ultimate goal is to make a better product for the people who use public lands. That’s good news for busy ranchers like Jeff Siddoway, whose sheep require hundreds of acres for grazing. Some of that land includes BLM land.

“We might move and stay two or three days in one spot. Move up to maybe our private ground for two or three days. Then move off onto BLM land for two or three days,” said Siddoway.

The challenge for Siddoway and other BLM land users is the increasing amount of regulations they have to follow.

“In the winter, we used to be able to come out and feed the sheep some alfalfa to get us by for a few days, hoping there would be a break in the weather,” said Siddoway. “You can no longer do that.”

Other restrictions Siddoway has to follow includes a plan on where his sheep are going to be and when, what times he’s allowed to enter a certain parcel of property, and making sure he’s meeting all the conservation requirements for species like big horn sheep and the sage grouse.

“It’s getting more and more difficult every year because we’ve had more and more restrictions on us,” said Siddoway. “I’d really like to see more BLM personnel on the ground, out here, working with us, and understanding our needs.”

Wheeler said the BLM wants input from ranchers like Siddoway so they can better manage the land without making regulations overbearing.

“Right now we really want people, the ranchers, citizens, just anyone, the general public that uses our public lands to look at that planning rule. See how it fits them, see how they think it might be tweaked, and make those comments before the final ruling comes out,” said Wheeler.

There is a webinar coming up on Wednesday, April 13 that will give people more information. Registration for that webinar as well as other information on the BLM’s Planning 2.0 initiative can be found HERE.