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Jazzari Taylor at tabling event

Public Lands Need More Than Promises. They Need Accountability.

Por Jazzari Taylor

Earlier this spring, Latino Outdoors (LO) wrote that The Future of Public Lands Depends on Us.

Today, that message feels even more urgent. On May 18, 2026, the United States Senate confirmed Steve Pearce as Director of the Bureau of Land Management despite widespread opposition and concerns from conservation organizations, outdoor advocates, Tribal communities, and public lands supporters. The confirmation serves as a reminder that protecting public lands requires us to come together across districts, landscapes, and communities, from the mountains of Southern California to the deserts of the American West, and remain engaged in the decisions that shape their future.

Last month, Latino Outdoors joined partners from the Conservation Lands Foundation and Protect CA Deserts Coalition at a community event in Crestline, California, where we connected with nearly 250 residents, visitors, business owners, and community leaders. Through advocacy activation and outreach, local residents and business owners expressed interest in becoming public lands champions and in participating in future conversations with policymakers. Their message was clear: public lands matter to the communities, economies, and identities of the places they call home.

Crestline, CA (Lake Gregory)

Crestline, CA (Lake Gregory)

From the U.S. Forest Service-managed forests surrounding Lake Arrowhead and Crestline to the Bureau of Land Management deserts that define much of California’s 23rd Congressional District, public lands support tourism, outdoor recreation, local businesses, and quality of life. The San Bernardino National Forest alone attracts nearly 2 million visitors annually and generates approximately $145 million in visitor spending (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, 2020). Together, these mountain and desert landscapes serve as both economic engines and treasured public resources.

That is why accountability matters! Congressman Jay Obernolte (CD23) recently told his constituents, “We need to support the people who keep our parks running and protect this incredible asset for our community.” We agree.

Public lands depend on people, and effective stewardship requires elected leaders who ensure federal agencies remain transparent and responsive to the communities they serve. As the Bureau of Land Management enters a new chapter under  Director Pearce, we encourage Congressman Obernolte and California’s congressional delegation to champion public lands and exercise strong oversight on behalf of the residents, businesses, and communities that depend on them.

“As a local media agency, I support many small businesses in the San Bernardino Mountains communities. My job is to use media to bring them more business. Our local businesses are overwhelmingly unique and charming. Our town is not inundated with chains and strip malls. I see firsthand how our lakes, the expansive trees, and minimal noise / light pollution are a strong draw for tourists. As the manager of The Market at Lake Gregory, which supports +30 vendors, half of our customers are not local. It is so important that we prioritize our natural resources, as they have a direct effect on the success of our local businesses.” – Alex Hancook, Company: Digital Nomad Video

We call on Representative Jay Obernolte to publicly uphold these commitments by cosponsoring H.R. 8523, the Public Lands Workforce Stability Act, to stop the firings and protect the public workers who steward our public lands. At Latino Outdoors, we believe that public lands belong to all of us. Protecting them requires more than appreciation. It requires participation. It requires leadership. And it requires holding decision makers accountable for the choices they make on behalf of current and future generations.

Take Action

  1. Find your Representative and find your Senators.
  2. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to their office.

When you call or write, you can say:

“I’m a constituent from [city or community], and I’m asking you to fully fund our public land agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management.”

“Please protect our public lands from budget cuts, staffing shortages, and efforts that would weaken long-term conservation and public access.”

“Our communities depend on these lands for jobs, recreation, tourism, culture, and connection. I urge you to support strong stewardship and oversight of our public lands.”

At Latino Outdoors, we know that telling our stories is only part of the work. Acting on them and holding our elected officials accountable is how we protect the places that connect us all.

Resources

The Future of Public Lands Depends on Us

Por Jazzari Taylor

At Latino Outdoors, our stories connect us to land, community, and responsibility. Recently, our staff member Jazzari Taylor participated in a virtual town hall (Time 37:42) with Representative Jay Obernolte (CD23) and asked a question about staffing at Joshua Tree National Park.

In response, the Congressman stated, “We need to support the people who keep our parks running and protect this incredible asset for our community.” That statement reflects a shared understanding that public lands depend on people.

Across the country, public lands are essential to our communities. They support local economies, sustain small businesses, and hold cultural meaning for Latino, Indigenous, and other communities. Places like Joshua Tree National Park are not just destinations. They are part of our collective experience and identity.

Yet these lands require care, and that care requires investment. Staffing shortages at agencies like the National Park Service (NPS) are already affecting visitor safety, resource protection, and basic operations. Proposed federal cuts and policies that open lands to development or sell-offs put additional pressure on systems that are already stretched thin. Ongoing threats, including weakened resource management plans and efforts to roll back protections for places like Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah, show how decisions made in one region are connected to the future of public lands nationwide.

Joshua Tree National Park Rally, 2025

Support for public lands must go beyond statements. It must show up in federal budget decisions, in full agency funding, and in protecting lands from short-term exploitation. Investing in stewardship strengthens local economies and protects the places that communities rely on.

We call on Representative Jay Obernolte to publicly uphold these commitments by cosponsoring H.R. 8523, the Public Lands Workforce Stability Act, to stop the firings and protect the public workers who steward our public lands.

Public lands belong to all of us, and so does the responsibility to speak up. Contact your members of Congress and ask where they stand on funding for public land agencies. Urge them to fully fund staffing and protect public lands from harmful policies and sell-offs.

Know who represents you. Stay engaged. Hold them accountable.

Take action:

  1. Find your Representative and Find your Senator
  2. Email or call their office on the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

When you call or write, you can say:

“I’m a constituent [city/ town/ area you live], and I’m calling to ask that you fully fund public land agencies like the National Park Service.”

“Please protect our public lands from budget cuts, staffing shortages, and potential sell-offs.”

“Our communities depend on these lands for jobs, culture, and access to the outdoors. I urge you to take action.” 

At Latino Outdoors, we know that telling our stories is only part of the work. Acting on them and holding our elected officials accountable is how we protect the places that connect us all.

Resources

Me enamoré dos veces

Por Florángel Quintana

Tenía 19 años cuando subí por primera vez a ese cerro que contiene todo el amor de quienes nacimos en Caracas.


Me llevó mi novio y todo era verde, espléndido, feliz. Todo lo que sucedía mientras ascendíamos era perfecto, a pesar de la ruta empinadísima, el terreno irregular y las vueltas sucesivas que serpenteaban la vista de la ciudad empequeñeciéndose.

Casi dos horas para llegar a una explanada que me mostró que el amor sí sucede a primera vista. El viento y sus susurros, los trinos curiosos de los pajaritos y esa llenura de vida que se me metía en el cuerpo a partir de mis ojos serenos. Allí sentí que algo me estaba sucediendo desde adentro. Lo que veía y sentía eran una misma cosa, imprecisa, indescriptible, como la constatación de estar enamorada.

Hoy a mis 60 permanezco junto a mi amor de 62, y seguimos transitando la madre naturaleza desde otras latitudes. El amor por la tierra y sus bellezas diversas solo ha crecido y sigue en expansión.

Florángel Quintana es escritora, licenciada en Letras (Ucab), docente de literatura y Mentora en Escritura Transformadora con más de 20 años de experiencia en el manejo de la expresión escrita con propósito. Autora de 4 libros.