The Thoreau Institute
Public Land Research and Analyses
Reports
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A new proposal for reforming the Forest Service prepared by the Forest Options Group, a consensus group facilitated by the Thoreau Institute. This draft report includes a form for you to submit comments by email.
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The BLM manages more land than any other entity in the U.S., yet few people are familiar with its overall programs. Different Drummer reviews the agency's minerals, timber, grazing, and recreation programs, and analyzes the budgets for each of the 60 BLM districts.
An Environmental Agenda for 105th Congress
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Articles by ten different writers on what a Republican Congress--or any Congress in fiscally tight times--should do to protect the environment.
- An issue of Different Drummer on the national forests.
- An issue of Different Drummer on the national parks.
- An issue of Different Drummer reviewing nearly 150 state park, wildlife, and forest agencies.
- An issue of Different Drummer with articles by over a dozen writers on who should manage national forests, parks, and other federal lands.
- A research paper showing how national forests, parks, and BLM lands would be better off if agency managers had an incentive to earn profits instead of losses.
- A research paper showing why the federal government should get out of the business of killing coyotes and other so-called pests.
Articles and Speeches
- How lands are managed is more important than who owns them.
- A speech given at Colorado University shows why it is more important to reform incentives than to replace top officials or transfer land ownership.
- A speech given at a conference in Montreal shows how recreation fees can play an important role in reforming public land management.
Op-Eds
- A summary of a lengthy report of the same name that Randal O'Toole prepared for the Cato Institute.
- How user fees can help restore the parks.
- Reveals a significant flaw in the recreation fee demonstration program.
Data
- A comparison of receipts and costs on every national forest.
- A comparison of receipts and costs on every national forest.
- A comparison of receipts and costs on every national forest.
- A comparison of receipts and costs on every national forest.
- A comparison of receipts, costs, and visitation on every national park.
- A comparison of receipts, costs, and visitation on every national park.
- A comparison of receipts, costs, and visitation on state parks in every state.
- A comparison of receipts, costs, and outputs on state forests in every state.
- A comparison of receipts, costs, and licences for fish and wildlife agencies in nearly every state.
Subsidies Anonymous
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The Forest Service releases the revised Tongass Forest plan. 8-28-97
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Results for every national forest. 4-13-97
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The Forest Service produces much less yets spends about the same. 2-28-97
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Louisiana-Pacific gains a windfall when it terminates the last long-term timber contract. 2-26-97
- Senator Larry Craig proposes to reform a sinking Forest Service, but ends up just rearranging the deck chairs.
1-28-97
- A circuit court rules that the Forest Service has an incentive to overcut.
1-25-97
- How the salvage sale rider influences forest managers; also, a book review of Forest Dreams, Forest Nightmares.
1-8-97
- Why the next Interior secretary is likely to take over the Forest Service.
1-6-97
- Are Americans getting their money's worth?
6-9-96
- Perennial predictions of timber famines never come true.
3-13-96
- Global warming is likely to depress timber prices because it will make trees grow faster.
3-1-96
Other Information
- This statement was prepared by a consensus group that is being facilitated by the Thoreau Institute.
- Written by the Institute's board and inspired by the statement of range principles.
- A modest proposal drafted by the Thoreau Institute.
Electronic Drummer