At first glance, National Conservation Areas (NCAs) and National Monuments may seem like distinct land designations. The key difference lies in the process of their creation: National Monuments are established by presidential proclamation under the Antiquities Act of 1906, while NCAs are created through congressional legislation. However, when it comes to on-the-ground management, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) largely treats these designations the same.
What Are National Conservation Lands?
The BLM’s National Conservation Lands program includes NCAs, National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and more. In fewer words: they’re all part of the exact same system and the BLM explicitly states that they have the same goals and objectives. According to the BLM, these lands are “managed to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes recognized for their cultural, ecological, and scientific values.” The outcomes often lead to restrictive management practices that prioritize conservation over traditional multiple-use principles.
National Monuments and NCAs are central to this program. Whether designated by the president or Congress, the BLM manages these lands similarly, often implementing policies that prioritize preservation and limit activities like motorized recreation, resource development, grazing, recreational shooting, dispersed camping, hunting and even traditional access routes.
Management Similarities
According to the BLM’s official documents, NCAs and National Monuments under their jurisdiction share nearly identical management objectives. Both focus on preserving natural and cultural resources, with an emphasis on wilderness-like characteristics. This typically results in:
- Road Closures: Both designations frequently lead to the closure of existing routes, impacting motorized recreation and traditional access to public lands.
- Restricted Uses: Activities such as grazing, resource extraction, and OHV use are often curtailed, limiting the multiple-use mandate that public lands traditionally uphold.
- Wilderness Management: Many NCAs and National Monuments are managed as de facto wilderness, with the primary goal of maintaining untrammeled landscapes rather than balancing recreation, resource use and extraction, grazing and other multiple uses.
The BLM’s National Monuments and National Conservation Areas factsheet explicitly highlights these similarities, underscoring that these lands are treated as part of the same broader conservation framework.
End Goal: Shifting from Multiple Use to Preservation to Achieve 30X30
While some may give the promise that NCAs and National Monuments will rely on local stakeholders to direct future management, the reality is often a significant shift away from multiple-use principles. The BLM’s management practices for these areas increasingly resemble wilderness management, with restrictive access and a focus on limiting human impact. For public land users, particularly those who rely on motorized access or participate in traditional activities like grazing, hunting, or rockhounding, this shift has serious implications.
What Does This Mean for Public Land Access?
At BlueRibbon Coalition, we believe in balanced land management that serves all stakeholders, not just the interests of elites pushing for preservation. NCAs and National Monuments are often portrayed as benign designations, but their management plans tell a different story. By prioritizing wilderness-like management, these areas frequently undermine the multiple-use mandate that has long been a cornerstone of public land policy.
Whether designated by the president or Congress, NCAs and National Monuments often lead to the same result: reduced access, restricted use, and a move toward preservation at the expense of recreation, local economies, and responsible resource management.
