Why doesn the Bureau of Land Management fence off public lands?
It is the policy of the BLM not to fence public lands from privately owned land. It fences public lands only when land use planning determines that it is in the public interest to do so. In most instances the BLM has determined that it is not in the public interest to construct fences largely because it would be virtually impossible to do so from a practical and economic standpoint. As an example, due to the mixture of public and private land, the Glenwood Springs Resource Area would require about 1,700 miles of boundary fence. At an average of $2.00/foot, the fence would cost taxpayers $18 million. How can the BLM charge trespass fees for livestock that stray onto public lands even if those lands are unfenced? Federal laws governing public lands require individuals to have a permit authorizing them to graze livestock on public lands. Thus, though the public lands may not be separated from private lands by a fence, individuals who allow their livestock to use those lands without proper
