Since the days of Teddy Roosevelt, American veterans have hiked, hunted, fished, floated and camped with their families on our public lands.
Besides national forests and parks, Utah is uniquely blessed with millions of acres of spectacular BLM land that is enjoyed by all. Serene spaces within these lands have been used by veterans for quiet reflection to smooth out the horrors experienced in war.
This incredible spectrum of open spaces, forests, streams and wilderness trails belongs to us all. These areas also attract huge numbers of visitors who bolster the local economies and provide a myriad of employment opportunities.
National monument lands were set aside and recently expanded to assure preservation of some incredible natural wonders as well as sacred Native American sites. These monuments also serve to remind us of the unique contributions of Native American veterans.
Our Forest Service and BLM lands are largely used for recreation but are open to some degree of controlled resource extraction to include logging and mining. However, overall, our publicly owned land exists for all Americans to enjoy regardless of economic or social status. Federal control is essential to ensure that private factions within individual states do not gradually carve up our public land and potentially sell it to the highest bidder.
As veterans (like me) and public landowners, we should strive to preserve our uniquely American public lands for future generations to enjoy and cherish.
Tom Mader, Moab
