Dear Audubon Advocate,

Nearly 10,000 Audubon members have already contacted the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to speak out for birds and protect our public lands. Will you join them? Comments are due Tuesday, June 20.

The Bureau of Land Management manages more than 245 million acres of public lands in the United States, which is nearly three times the area of the entire National Park Service. BLM has traditionally managed its lands for uses like energy development, livestock grazing, and timber harvesting—with little focus on managing lands for conservation. A new proposal would put conservation on equal footing with other uses and guide responsible development and balanced use.  

Urge the Bureau of Land Management to finalize and strengthen this new rule to ensure the health of our public lands. 

The new Public Lands Rule promotes conservation and prioritizes the health and resilience of ecosystems across those lands, ensuring that science and data inform decision-making. The rule includes habitat connectivity, which is essential to allow migrating wildlife to adapt to a changing climate. It allows BLM land managers to identify and prioritize areas that are most in need of restoration work. 

Birds rely heavily on BLM lands and waters—more than 300 bird species spend more than half of their time living across these landscapes. This new rule is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elevate resources and tools for conservation to manage our public lands sustainably so that they can be passed on in healthy condition to our children, grandchildren, and generations to come.

Send your comments today in support of a balanced approach to conserving our public lands.