Defend Your Ground

In this episode, Ben and Simone discuss forest management plans in for the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon and the importance of community engagement in these plans. They also highlight the National Park Service's call for public feedback on visitor services and the challenges faced in maintaining park infrastructure. They focus on several case studies where the Park Service could improve the ser...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben Burr, Simone Griffin, and Shannon Welch discuss the ongoing threats to Johnson Valley and the King of the Hammers event. They delve into the historical context of the fight for this cherished OHV area, the current proposed airspace restrictions by the Marines, and the importance of community mobilization to protect outdoor recreation. The conv...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben and Simone discuss the Valle Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico with guest Seth Gaynor. They explore the history of the preserve, its transition to National Park Service management, and the current public access restrictions. The conversation highlights the importance of public comments on the management plan and the need for increased ac...

In this episode, the hosts discuss the Miller Mountain land exchange in Wyoming, exploring its background, the implications of the proposed trade, and the challenges surrounding public land management. They delve into the unique characteristics of the land involved, the legal considerations, and the potential impacts on outdoor recreation and public access. In this conversation, the speakers discu...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben, Simone, and Nick discuss the complexities of public lands management, focusing on the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs) and their implications for land use. They explore the legal authority of agencies, the role of Congress, and the limitations of the public comment process. The conversation highlights specific regulations that restrict acce...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben and Simone discuss the recent proposal by the Fish and Wildlife Service to downlist certain populations of grizzly bears from the Endangered Species Act. They explore the implications of this proposal, the role of environmental groups, and the impact of roads on bear populations. The conversation highlights the need for better wildlife managem...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben Burr and Simone Griffin discuss recent legislative updates regarding public lands, focusing on the Glen Canyon OHV rule and the implications of the Congressional Review Act.    Support Congressional Review of Glen Canyon Closures: https://blueribboncoalition.org/resolution-proposed-to-continue-allowance-of-ohvs-in-glen-canyon-national-recreati...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben, Simone, and BRC Board Vice President Shannon Welch discuss their recent trip to Washington, DC, focusing on public land advocacy, the challenges faced in protecting these lands, and the legislative efforts being made by the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC). Shannon shares her background in public lands and building the King of the Hammers event, wh...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben and Simone discuss the recent changes in leadership within the Department of Interior and the implications of new executive orders on public lands and energy development. They explore the balance between recreation and energy interests, the impact of national monuments on access to public lands, and the ongoing fight against privatization of p...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben and Simone discuss the recent changes in public land management following the election, focusing on the implications of the Antiquities Act, the challenges of wildfire management, and the role of environmental groups in shaping policies. They explore the limitations of national monuments in protecting land from wildfires - specifically as it r...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben Burr and Simone Griffin discuss the proposed Dolores National Monument in Western Colorado with local advocates Sean and Danielle Pond. The conversation delves into the implications of the monument on public land use, local economies, and community involvement. The Ponds share their journey into advocacy, the misconceptions surrounding the mon...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben Burr and Simone Griffin interview Tate Morgan from Sons of Smokey and the Gambler 500. They discuss the origins of the Gambler 500, a race that evolved into the largest trash cleanup event in the world. Tate explains how the Sons of Smokey organization was created to fund the trash cleanup efforts and develop an app for reporting and mapping t...

Representative Ken Ivory joins the podcast to discuss Utah's historic lawsuit challenging federal ownership of public land. The lawsuit, if successful, could impact how public land is managed not only in Utah but across the country. Ivory explains the background of the lawsuit and the promises made by the federal government that haven't been fulfilled. He emphasizes the importance of multiple use...

In this episode, Ben and Simone discuss the Yuma East travel management plan in Southwestern Arizona. They explain the different alternatives proposed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the potential impact on off-roading routes. They highlight the importance of understanding the terms 'OHV limited' and 'administrative use only' when evaluating the proposed closures. They also discuss the...

In this episode, Ben and Simone discuss the current wildfire season and the importance of responsible forest management. They highlight the impact of wildfires on air quality, road closures, and public access to recreation areas. Simone explains that the majority of the comments she submits are related to vegetation projects and reducing wildfire risk. They also discuss the opposition to forest ma...

In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben and Simone discuss Chevron Deference and its recent overturning by the Supreme Court. They highlight the problems with Chevron Deference, which allowed executive branch agencies to interpret laws without judicial review, leading to an imbalance of power and lack of accountability. They address concerns about the loss of expertise and argue tha...

In this episode, Ben and Simone discuss the issue of disability access in outdoor recreation on public lands. They highlight the importance of motorized recreation for individuals with physical disabilities and the therapeutic benefits it provides. They mention that they consistently bring up disability access in their comments and lawsuits, but the agencies often ignore these concerns. They also...

Summary: This episode discusses the final draft of the BLM landscape health and conservation rule, which aims to flood money into the public land system to control management. The rule introduces new types of leases, such as restoration and mitigation leases, and prioritizes areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs). The hosts express concerns about the rule's lack of statutory authority and...

Summary: In this episode of the Defend Your Ground podcast, Ben and Simone discuss the Grandview travel management plan in Idaho. They highlight the problems with the plan, including outdated information, missing routes, and the potential closure of desert racing routes. They also discuss the lack of analysis of social and economic impacts, as well as the potential connection between the plan and...

The BLM recently released their preliminary maps for the San Rafael Swell travel plan. We expect a public comment period on this plan soon. In this episode, Ben and Simone discuss the planning status of the San Rafael Swells in Utah. They provide an overview of the recent developments and the upcoming public comment period. They highlight concerns about road closures and the potential impact on po...

BRC Executive Director Ben Burr was recently a guest on San Diego Off-Road Radio with Dave Stall. Show Participants discussed recent trail closures, the fight to keep trails open, concerns with new national monument proposals, and more.

Southern Idaho has seen a flurry of BLM travel plans in the last year. In this episode we provide an update on the series of travel plans that have been introduced that will affect the Owyhee region of southwestern Idaho. In the episode we discuss the Silver City Travel Management Plan, which is open for public comment until February 12. You can submit a comment here: https://www.sharetrails.org/s...

In this episode we respond to multiple false claims made by Jonathan P. Thompson in his recent blog article: The Arrogance of the off-road vehicle lobby References from the Show:  Page 127: https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/2001224/200479500/20067049/250073231/LabyrinthGeminiBridges_EA_DRAFT.pdf Find our lawsuit challenging these trail closures here: https://www.sharetrails.org/release-coa...

Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks joins us in this episode to discuss the SEC's proposal to allow the New York Stock Exchange to create Natural Asset Companies. Natural Asset Companies would be a new form of corporation designed to securitize and privatize nature - including our public lands.  You can read Treasurer Oaks' opinion editorial in the Wall Street Journal about this topic here: https://ww...

In this insttallment of the "Last Known Position series" we are joined by Tyler St. Jeor, who has served as a volunteer for the Search and Rescue team in Wasatch County. With extensive experience on a variety of rescues in the Wasatch Mountains, Tyler shares his insights on how to recreate safely and responsibly. We are grateful to all Search and Rescue volunteers, and we encourage everyone to sup...