On the Ground

In this debut episode of “We Do That!”, a special new mini-series from the BLM’s On the Ground podcast, we take a look at Wyoming’s National Minerals Testing Laboratory — a small but mighty facility doing big things for the management of our public lands. Included are behind-the-scenes insights on the facility’s history, discussion of ongoing mineral analysis processes, and visions for the future...

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a unique geological destination for visitors from around the world. Turning from a hidden gem to a primary tourist destination here in New Mexico, the BLM—in partnership with Cochiti Pueblo—has taken steps to provide a sustainable recreational destination for visitors while also protecting its fragile resources. 

In the final installment of BLM On the Ground’s three-part Wildfire Awareness Month podcast series, we discuss wildfire prevention education, the prevalence of human-caused wildfires, and the importance of public responsibility, such as preparing properly before recreating on public lands, checking fire danger levels, and reporting wildfires immediately.

To continue our three-episode podcast series on wildfire awareness, this week’s episode delves into the importance of effective communication pertaining to fire prevention, examining best practices and strategic approaches employed by fire crews, as well as the major challenges and widespread public misconceptions surrounding wildfires.  

In December 2024, Backpacker.com magazine published an article titled, "Bob Wick Is the Greatest Outdoor Photographer You’ve Never Heard Of." You likely have seen his work on BLM.gov, in social media, in major newspapers and magazines, and on advocacy and industry websites. Today, we visit with the man himself: Bob Wick, whose primary job never was as a photographer.  A photographer capt...

In recognition of Wildfire Awareness Month, On the Ground is kicking off a three-episode podcast series highlighting all things wildfires. The series dives into the critical roles, challenges, and innovations shaping how BLM Fire prevents and responds to wildfires today.  You’ll hear seasoned wildland firefighters discuss behind-the-scenes management strategies, and learn about the National I...

The Department of the Interior is changing many place-names on public lands to discontinue the use of terms that are considered derogatory to Native Americans. In Arizona's Yuma Field Office, this includes one lake on the Arizona-California border that was changed with the help of the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe. In this report, Heather Feeney speaks to Ray Castro, Yuma Field Manager about the re...

In 2025, the Bureau of Land Management will celebrate 25 years since the creation of the National Landscape Conservation System in 2000. But to appreciate the breadth of National Conservation Lands, you actually need to go back more than 50 years. 

In 2000, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt authorized the creation of the National Landscape Conservation System, the BLM's official directorate for managing National Conservation Lands. In this episode, we reflect on the early years of the NLCS and how BLM created the structure to manage these beautiful and iconic locations with three people who led the program: Elaine Marquis-Brong, Elena...

In this holiday season of giving, the BLM sincerely thanks the many thousands of volunteers who have freely given their time and efforts to care for public lands. Highlighted in this podcast episode are Sue and Jim Johnston, a couple out of Utah who have been making a difference in our trails in Kanab for more than 10 years. Their positive impact and attitudes towards maintaining public lands, as...

The BLM's onshore oil and gas program manages oil and natural gas extraction nationwide, bringing in billions of dollars to the U.S. Treasury from productive wells. But what happens if the wells we manage are no longer productive or maintained? This is the question that the Federal  Orphaned Well Program  is designed to answer. The program seeks to remediate orphaned wells on  Feder...

The Bureau of Land Management today announced a Restoration Blueprint that outlines the need for additional investment to restore public lands. As the largest land manager in the country, BLM is launching the Restoration Blueprint to build upon past efforts and increase the scale and efficacy of its efforts. “It’s important for us to show that we have a plan for how we make sure the landscapes tha...

In 2023, BLM announced an interagency agreement with the Intermountain West Joint Venture to improve sagebrush ecosystems. One year later, we take a look at what IWJV is doing with some of the funding in Montana. We interview two partners who are working on opposite ends of the state to fill skills gaps and encourage conversations with partners. 

The Sky Islands of southeastern Arizona are a bowl-like natural feature that blocks out many electromagnetic signals. This is an ideal environment for the Department of Defense to train intelligence specialists and drone operators. It's also part of a unique ecosystem that includes millions of acres of BLM, Forest Service, State of Arizona, and private lands that all involved would like to see con...

Between Elko and Spring Creek, Nevada, a group of residents and recreation enthusiasts from the Elko Trail Systems Initiative (ETSI) is working with BLM's Tuscarora Field Office to create a new non-motorized trail system. The group hopes that it will bring fun and business to local communities. When completed, the non-motorized trail will be open to hikers, horseback riding, and mountain biking, i...

BLM-Utah's Color Country District received funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to expand its network of recreation trails at Iron Hills near Cedar City, Utah. In this episode, Mike Innes, an Outdoor Recreation Planner in the BLM's Cedar City Field Office, talks about the essential help from partners and volunteers to create a well-constructed mountain biking trail. The Iron Hills National Rec...

Along the Dalton Highway in Alaska, BLM spends its first field season using acoustic bird monitoring to learn more about bank swallows and their nesting habits.

Whitebark pine is a threatened species of conifer that grows primarily in three states and western Canada. Foresters and researchers have been working for years to deal with pests like the mountain pine beetle, and diseases like white pine blister rust. Emily Guiberson (photo, above) has worked on saving and restoring Whitebark pines most of her career in southwest Montana. Now the lead Forester f...

Chris Holmes from BLM Communications speaks with Ashton Johnston, a program manager who helps the bureau conduct its once-every-two-years public outreach under the Dingell Act.  Johnston describes the process of how to explore the map and submit nominations, the criteria that's used to evaluate each suggested location, and what happens when the BLM concludes its examination of each nomination...

In Southern Idaho, BLM has been working with state and federal agencies and private landowners to treat and strengthen sagebrush habitat. In the Boise District, one of the largest projects is the Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-grouse Habitat project (BOSH). One primary purpose of BOSH is to reduce the number of juniper that are crowding out sagebrush and grass ecosystems, which are critical to the health of...

In 2018, a Category 5 hurricane blasted through Lathrop Bayou in the Florida Panhandle, knocking down trees and leaving a huge path of destruction. A few years later, specialists on a field trip noted that a very small population of red-cockaded woodpeckers, which are on the Endangered Species List, were alive on the Bayou's small peninsula. In February 2024, BLM and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Servi...

BLM manages millions of acres of forested lands in a checkerboard pattern through eighteen counties of western Oregon. Critical to the health of the land are the rivers and streams that snake their way through these mountainous areas. BLM is one of many agencies concerned about providing strong habitat for migrating coho salmon, Chinook, steelhead, and other species. Consequently, BLM works with m...

  The Bureau of Land Management works with youth through a variety of programs. Those who come to BLM Visitor Centers and at many public events can quickly find educational programs geared toward young people. BLM also contracts with organizations that hire youth between the ages of 16 and 30 to work on specific public land projects aimed at ecological restoration, noxious weed control, publi...

ABOVE PHOTO: A construction worker finishes cement work on a mine adit closure. The finished product will allow bats and small creatures through, but keep humans out. In the southwestern corner of New Mexico, the Bureau of Land Management is closing more than 300 mine features -- adits, shafts and other open spaces. Frequently hidden from view, these sites were abandoned years ago and can be...

The Bureau of Land Management is a partner with many other organizations and landowners -- public, private, and non-profit -- in managing the Cosumnes Watershed. The 46,000-acre Cosumnes River Preserve is an important stopping point for migratory birds, and a beloved recreation area for people living in California's Central Valley near Sacramento.  Amy Fesnock is the BLM's Cosumnes River Pres...