BENJI BACKER: Why A Mass Sell-Off Of Public Lands Is Bad For America

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America’s public lands have created our nation’s legacy. They forge brighter futures. They ensure clean air and water. And they are among America’s greatest ideas.

But the places where we hike, fish, hunt, and recreate are in danger.

The United States Senate is attempting to sell about 3 million acres of public land to be used for housing development through an addition to the spending bill. This small provision to the “Big, Beautiful Bill” would put land in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming at risk without so much as a full and fair debate by members of both sides of the political aisle. Though this legislation does prevent the sale of a few types of federally protected land, like National Parks, it does not exempt public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management nor the United States Forest Service — which makes up some of the most beautiful and ecologically-sensitive places in our country.

The irony is, the addition of this provision by a Republican-led Senate goes entirely against the conservative legacy of conservation. President Trump made a promise to revive this legacy, and he kept that promise during his first term with the Great American Outdoors Act. But now, this selling of public lands could undo those years of hard work and progress. (RELATED: Congressional Spending Bill Cracks Down On Foreign Buy-Up Of US Land After Chinese Deals Raise Alarm)

In 1907, Teddy Roosevelt — the Republican known as the “Conservation President” — said:

“To allow the public lands to be worked by the tenants of rich men for the profit of the landlords, instead of by freeholders for the livelihood of their wives and children, is little less than a crime against our people and our institutions.”

I myself am a conservative. I am also an environmentalist. Those are not mutually exclusive — rather, they work together to form the belief that we as conservatives have a duty, first and foremost, to conserve. We must conserve our natural resources. We must conserve the natural beauty of this great nation we have inherited. And, yes, we must conserve our public lands for the benefit of both current and future generations.

This is not to say there are no real problems at hand. Inconsistencies in department oversight — like seven agencies overseeing a single river — the heavy hand of government overreach, and sweeping overregulation hinders access, depletes ecosystems, and prevents progress for our public lands. But the solution is not a lone member of Congress selling off millions of acres with the stroke of a single pen. There is no doubt that America faces an affordable housing crisis — but that housing crisis is caused by a lack of affordable units, not by a lack of developable land.

Americans are happy to discuss the need for increased efficient management of this land. We can discuss the need for partnerships with state and local governments to better conserve it. We can even discuss the need to balance the role of public lands amidst our nation’s lack of affordable housing. But we cannot stand by as our government destroys these natural spaces.

I am not alone in these beliefs. Conservatives and liberals alike overwhelmingly agree that our public lands shouldn’t be for sale. A new co/efficient national poll (June 12-16, 2025) found that permanently selling off millions of acres of public land for development is opposed by a whopping 75% of Americans. Broken down by party, it’s opposed by 65% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats. We hardly ever see such strong bipartisan agreement in today’s polarized political era.

Republicans like Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) successfully fought to strike a similar provision aiming to sell off 450,000 acres of public land from the House version of this very bill. Conservatives are taking to social media to voice their opposition to this provision. And hunters are pointing out yet another reason why this is not true conservatism — out-of-touch lawmakers in Washington shouldn’t have more power over what happens on our public lands than the recreators, the sportsmen, and the nature-lovers that enjoy them day in and day out.

It is clear that selling our public lands would be a betrayal to America and the American people. And so I ask our United States Senators: What will your legacy be? To carry on this nation’s tradition of conservation, or be known as the generation that began selling precious public lands for development?

We have a rich outdoor heritage to uphold here in America. We are the same nation that pushed West, explored the great frontiers, and learned to live with the land. From the mountains to the prairies, we are still a nation full of pride and love for our land. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Republican Voters Sound Alarm On Chinese Ownership Of US Farmland)

For generations, Americans across party lines have expected support for our public lands, not quiet mass sell-offs. Now, conservatives in Congress have a duty to uphold their legacy of leadership on conservation. And there is nothing more conservative than conserving our public lands.

It’s time for Americans to take action and stop the sale of this nation’s majesty.