Land Use Issues

The land use planning, management, and control area is concerned with planning for the use of lands, regardless of ownership, and fostering better management of the Nation's land and related resources. It is a complex and highly controversial subject involving population and economic growth; multiple use of land and resources; controversies over tradeoffs between competing land uses; individual aspirations and rights versus the public good; and federal, state, and local government rights and responsibilities. Six land use planning, management, and control issues are designated for priority attention within the next two years. These six issues are: (1) Is there a need for new federal initiatives to plan for land use on a more comprehensive basis? (2) Are federally owned and supported lands being effectively managed and is proper consideration being given to competing resource needs such as timber production, watershed protection, aesthetics, and fish and wildlife? (3) How effective are federal programs designed to promote the development, rehabilitation, conservation, and preservation of nonpublic lands and related resources? (4) Are federal programs effective in meeting shortages of outdoor recreation near urban areas? (5) Are federally owned and federally supported recreation areas being properly developed, managed, and maintained? and (6) Will land use planning and management activities provide a satisfactory balance between development and preservation of Alaskan lands? Several other issues which need to be considered, but which have lower priority, are also discussed.