Law, Culture & Environment

America¿s public lands provide a microcosm in which to study the intersection of law, culture, and the environment. Managers of federal public lands are charged with fulfilling their agency¿s mission while complying with environmental laws and balancing competing demands for access to, and use of, those lands and the resources those lands provide. America¿s public lands also provide a vehicle for studying the process of negotiation and the litigation that ensues when parties are not satisfied with federal decision making. These issues are explored through an examination of disputes that arose at several locations, including Rainbow Bridge, Devils Tower, CaveRock, and Arizona SnowBowl.