October 28, 2025

640 Million Acres Are Yours - How Do We Keep It That Way?

1 hour 11 minutes

Across the United States, 640 million acres of public land belong to all of us — rivers that still run wild, deep canyons, mountain ranges, plains, and deserts. Places where the wild things live. Places we can still visit, explore, and trust that it will be there for generations or an eon. But this year, the push to sell or transfer those lands has surfaced — sometimes openly, sometimes in quieter, less obvious ways. Why is this happening? Who’s behind it? And how do we, as citizens, stand up in simple, effective ways to keep public lands public? Our guest is Land Tawney, from American Hunters & Anglers — a man who comes from a long line of land conservationists. He brings both a historical lens and a practical action plan for keeping these 640 million acres wild, free, and truly ours.

GUEST

American Hunters and Anglers
@americanhuntersanglers

Land Tawney

Minority Outdoor Alliance
@minorityoutdooralliance

RESOURCES

202-224-3121
Switchboard US Capital (call, tell them your zip code, and that you want to speak with your Rep and/or Sen…you might have to call 3 times to get your Rep and both of your Senators)

Ambler Road
Roadless Rule, USFS
Attempts to sell public lands

PREVIOUS RIVER RADIUS EPISODES

Are Public Lands 4 $ale?

The Gila: River, Place, Family
(Sen Martin Heinrich)

ELECTED OFFICIALS & PUBLIC LANDS

US Senator Martin Heinrich, New Mexico
@senatormartinheinrich

US Representative Gabe Vasquez, New Mexico
@repgabevasquez

US Representative Betty McCollum, Minnesota
@repbettymccollum

US Representative Ryan Zinke, Montana
@repryanzinke

US Senator Steve Daines, Montana

US Senator Ron Wyden, Oregon
@ronwyden

US Senator Jeff Merkley, Oregon
@senjeffmerkley

US Senator John Hickenlooper, Colorado
@senatorhick

US Senator Susan Collins, Maine
@sensusancollins

US Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania
@repbrianfitz

US Senator John Thune, South Dakota