In Wyoming, public lands are part of our everyday life. They are where we hunt, fish, graze, guide, work, and teach our kids what it means to respect the land. They are where we learn responsibility, patience, honesty, and humility. Simply put, they help shape who we are.
These lands support Wyoming in real ways. They keep small businesses alive in our towns. They help guides, outfitters, ranchers, mechanics, restaurants, and gear shops stay open. They bring in visitors, support jobs, and keep our traditions strong. They are where wildlife still moves, where water begins, and where families make memories that last a lifetime.
Public lands remind us that Wyoming is a place where land is shared, not walled off. A place where hard work matters, neighbors look out for each other, and where pride in the land is passed down to the next generation, not put up for auction. They are part of our heritage, our economy, and our identity.
That is why most Wyoming people believe in a concept that is quite simple; public lands should stay in public hands.
This belief is based on something deeper than politics. It is based on trust, respect, and stewardship. It is rooted in the idea that some things should belong to all Americans, not just a select few. That we take care of what we share, and we pass it forward better than we found it.
As much as we embrace it, the notion isn’t unique to Wyoming. We are seeing leadership on public lands issues just across our border.
In Montana, Sens. Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines teamed up with their congressional counterparts – Montana Reps. Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing and a dozen others in forming the Public Lands Caucus – to help stop an idea that may have led to public lands being sold off or privatized as recently as last spring.
Soon after, they joined senators from four other states to create their own Senate Stewardship Caucus to speak clearly about keeping public lands public. They did so because they understood something we understand in Wyoming: that land held in common holds more than just economic value, it holds community and tradition.
And today it holds an opportunity.
Our elected leaders understand what public lands mean to this state. They know these lands support local businesses and working families. They know they hold hunting access, grazing allotments, migration routes, and open spaces. They know that public land helps keep Wyoming, Wyoming.
That’s why this moment offers opportunity by way of an invitation. An invitation for our delegation of Sens. Barrasso and Lummis and Rep. Hageman to affirm something that already unites this state by joining the leaders from our neighboring states as members of the Public Lands and Senate Stewardship caucuses.
Today, public lands belong to the American people. But history has shown that there’s no guarantee they will remain in public hands tomorrow. Public lands champions are needed now more than ever, both in Wyoming and in Washington, DC.
Wyoming does not need to follow another state’s lead. Wyoming is the example. And our state leaders are shrewd enough to recognize an opportunity when it presents itself.
The people of Wyoming have always taken a stand for public lands. A clear commitment to keeping public lands public would reflect the values Wyoming people live by. Hard work. Freedom. Community. Pride in the land. And honesty about what we owe the next generation.
When we stand up for public lands, we are not just protecting acres. We are protecting who we are. We are protecting places where we learn patience, where neighbors shake hands, and where families find connection to the land and to each other.
And when Wyoming speaks with a clear, honest voice, people listen.
Alex Bakken, from Rawlins, is the President of Bowhunters of Wyoming, which is a Coalition member of Keep It Public Wyoming.
