Opinion: America’s public lands are more than development acreage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 10, 2026

For many who don’t own land or a camp on a lake or in the woods, public lands are their only gateway to nature. We trust the governments that hold these public lands to ensure they remain for public use and enjoyment. That trust is being tested. President Trump has issued orders that represent a significant shift in how the federal government manages public lands. His goals include expanding energy production, accelerating mineral and coal development and reducing safeguards for wilderness. Public lands are not simply real estate. They provide clean water, wildlife habitat, carbon storage, recreational opportunities and increasingly rare places where people can experience forests, rivers, mountains and solitude without having to own them. We are temporary beneficiaries of public lands, held in trust by our government. ~ Karin R. Tilberg, former president/CEO, Forest Society of Maine