Legal Management of BLM Public Lands
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Formed by the merger of the General Land Office and Grazing Service in 1946, the Bureau of Land Management is a federal agency with responsibility for managing of a vast portfolio of 245 million acres of public lands. Nearly 22.8 million acres of that land is located in Utah, making up nearly 42% of the state's landmass. This course provides a survey of how those lands are managed, looking at some of the most important laws and regulations. In examining the BLM's regulatory structure, the course breaks down legal management by use, including mining, oil and gas, grazing, recreation, and conservation. In order to better understand the impact of the law, we will discuss current events, focusing on BLM lands in Utah and how the law affects public use of our nation's public lands.