One of the greatest issues facing our local governments is the continual barrage of road closures on public lands.  Often, special interest groups, set on controlling land and resources, get a prominent seat at the table, and when all is said and done, locals feel their voice has not been heard.

This issue of roads being closed and the public finding out about it "after the fact" is not new.  And though the problems created by these road closures are very real, and there are serious questions as to who has the jurisdictional power to make these decisions, there may be another issue here:  the unwillingness of a large majority of our citizens to get involved in their local government decisions.  In our crazy multi-tasking lives, we are tempted to leave all the decision making to others.  A notice is posted on the City Council's agenda, an article shows up in the back section of the newspaper, and we turn a blind eye, assuming that "someone" is taking care of it.  "Someone" is looking out for our interests. 

Before we know it, the threatened road gets closed. Sometimes it takes the Feds years to close the road. But by the time the ambivalent public realizes what has happened, it is generally too late or too costly to get the road reopened.  

While folks who support greater access to public lands are taking care of family, church, and professional responsibilities, those who want to see more restrictions are donating time and money to causes and organizations that they support. In some cases worshiping nature is their religion and they are committed to misguided principles that severely limit public access to public land. Unless and until the majority of reasonable Americans become equally committed to protecting access and control of public land we will always be the underdog.

co/written with Michael Swenson

lobbyist / consultant at Swenson Strategies