On May 11th, the U.S. Department of the Interior rescinded Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, commonly referred to as the Public Lands Rule, which put conservation on equal footing with mining, logging, and grazing of public lands. In response, Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, issued the following statement:
“The rescission of the Public Lands Rule marks a shift away from a balanced approach to managing our public lands and waters. For Latino communities and families across the country, these lands are places of recreation, cultural connection, reflection, and opportunity that should be protected and sustained for generations to come.
At Hispanic Access Foundation, we believe public lands thrive when conservation is treated as an essential part of land management alongside other uses. Healthy landscapes support wildlife, clean air and water, outdoor traditions, local economies, and the well-being of communities deeply connected to these spaces.
Thoughtful conservation and land-health standards help protect water resources, sustain ecosystems, preserve culturally significant landscapes, and maintain access to outdoor spaces that communities rely on for recreation, reflection, and connection. We are concerned about the long-term implications for culturally and environmentally significant areas, including landscapes that hold deep meaning for Tribal Nations, local communities, and future generations.
Through our Nature and Environment pillar, we have seen how restoration and mitigation initiatives create meaningful economic opportunities for small businesses, Tribal nurseries, youth workforce programs, and local restoration efforts. Investments in conservation strengthen both ecosystems and community-based economic opportunity while supporting responsible stewardship of our public lands.
We also recognize the importance of ensuring Tribal Nations, local leaders, and community voices remain part of decisions that shape the future of public lands. Lasting stewardship requires collaboration, shared responsibility, and meaningful public engagement to ensure these landscapes continue to serve and reflect all communities connected to them.
Public lands belong to all of us, and their future depends on thoughtful management that balances today’s needs with the responsibility to preserve these spaces for future generations.”
Finalized in 2024 following extensive public engagement, the Public Lands Rule strengthened how the Bureau of Land Management approached public land stewardship by recognizing conservation alongside other multiple uses, including energy development, grazing, mining, and recreation. The rule reflected growing recognition that healthy public lands and waters are vital to protecting wildlife habitat, supporting outdoor recreation, sustaining cultural traditions, and building resilient local economies.
