Earlier this week, I had the fortune to speak at length with Randy Newberg, who I consider to be the preeminent conservationist of our time. We talked about what's working, what's not, and how best we can all come together in order to save public lands from those who want to dispose of them.
It was, as you'd might expect if you know anything about Randy, eye-opening.
I'm planning on releasing our talk in the near future, but Randy and I spoke for nearly two hours on the subject, so it's going to take me a second to collect our thoughts in a cogent way. We dove into so much policy and more, I'm surprised someone didn't come and check on us to see if we were okay.
But as Randy and I got to the end of our conversation, I asked him, "In your years fighting to ensure public lands remain public, what have you found the best tool to sway those politicians from going the way of disposal?" What he replied with surprised me, and it led to the story you're reading now.
"Try to have something optimistic, because people are bombarded with such, 'Everyday is a bad day.' As one family member speaks about it, "I watched the bad news last night." So it's really hard to inspire people without some sense of hope, without some sense of optimism," he told me.
Now, that directly tied into something he and I spoke about earlier in our conversation, about contacting your local, state, and federal representatives, and how those with audiences are looking to us to show them that there is a path forward. That there is a way to make our voices and our thoughts heard. A way to not just shout into the ether of social media or call folks names. And how something like a simple letter that's well-thought out, well-reasoned, and not just fire and brimestone, could lead to helping us preserve public lands for future generations.
That's why I wrote the letter below to both Utah's Mike Lee and John Curtis, my senators, one of which has been a vocal proponent of the disposal of our public lands.
And while there'll be those who say neither Senator will read it, or they won't likely even receive it, I chose to do it anyway. I chose to still make my voice heard. I chose to continue fighting to preserve our public lands, so that not only can I continue to enjoy them, but so can everyone else—as well as my grandchildren and their grandchildren.
I chose to be optimistic. And I hope you join me in sending letters to these Senators, as well as the rest of the politicians fighting to do away with the land we love. If you want, you can copy and paste this letter and send it out yourselves, I do not mind.
As for me, my letters have already been sent. Here's what I said.
Dear Senator Lee/Curtis,
My name is Jonathon Klein, and I am one of your constituents here in Utah. I'm also a hunter, a fisherman, a dirt biker, a hiker, a camper, an off-roader, and so much more. But most of all, I'm a lover and advocate for public lands, something that's so intertwined with the history, the present, and the future of this great state.
Over the years, I've explored nearly every nook and cranny of Utah's public lands. I've fished high alpine streams, I've found myself lost on single-track dirt bike trails, I've hunted in deep, dark canyons, and I've taken my wife and three children on adventures into the Unitas with our Can-Am UTV. I've made everlasting memories, all of which are thanks to Utah's great public lands. And without them, I'd be a lesser person, father, and member of society. That's a trait that all those who utilize America's greatest resource share in common.
Public lands make for a better populace, as well as a more prosperous state.
From all over the country—and, indeed, the world—people flock to Utah to enjoy its public land. Climbers and hikers return year after year to make their way through Zion and Bryce. Hunters find themselves eagerly awaiting draw results to see if they've finally scored the bull elk tag they've been waiting decades to get. Moab has become the go-to destination for everyone to test their off-roading mettle. And hundreds of millions of dollars are spent across the state each year thanks to those public lands.
According to the University of Utah, nearly 15 million people visit the state each year, with visitors spending $11.98 billion in Utah’s economy in 2022 alone. More than that, 10 million people went through Utah's five national parks, while another 12 million visited state parks. In no uncertain terms, Utah's lasting economic longevity remains intrinsically linked to public lands, with the Gardner Institute at the university stating, "Utah’s travel and tourism industry is a key contributor to the state’s economy, fostering job creation, supporting local businesses, and generating tax revenue."
Yet, those same public lands are now under attack from those who'd do away with them.
I understand that there are pressures, both internal and external, that would make something like selling off our public land appealing. Affordable housing, the continued federal mismanagement of held public lands, and mineral rights that could further fund energy and defense independence. Yet, while those are worthy goals, they fail to see the loss as a nation if we allow these lands to be sold off.
Yes, we'd lose the aforementioned revenue generated by tourism and, very likely, all the mom-and-pop small businesses that litter the areas that surround our national and state parks. And we'd lose why folks come to Utah. But we'd also be losing a part of this nation's soul, as we've shown the rest of the world that we can be great stewards of these lands. That we, as Americans, can conserve areas that let us get out and fish and hunt, to camp and backpack, to hike and dirt bike, and to explore to our heart's content. To conserve both endangered and other native species, and to do so in a way where it benefits everyone in Utah, as well as the rest of the world.
We have shown the world how to preserve and protect. We have led by example. And we can continue the tradition of conservation that Leopold, Roosevelt, and others championed. We can continue showing the world that our public lands are what makes us great.
In saying all this, I'm optimistic that you, too, will see that Utah's public lands are worth preserving. They're worth keeping public. They're worth keeping in public hands and not sold to those who'd bar us all from entry. I'm optimistic that you'll hear your constituents who use these public lands to off-road, fish, hunt, camp, hike, snowmobile, ski, and so much more each year. I'm optimistic that you'll help your constituents preserve the lands that make Utah this amazing place to live and visit.
Thank you for your time,
Jonathon Klein, Utah Resident and Public Lands Advocate
You can contact Senator Mike Lee here. His counterpart is Senator John Curtis, who you can contact here. If you live outside of Utah and want to find your state's Senators or Federal representatives, you can find that information here.
I hope you'll join me in fighting to preserve the public lands that allow us all to do so much.
