BLM set to kick off Marton Ranch planning with public meeting
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Casper, Wyo. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking the public’s input on the future management of the Marton Ranch property southwest of Casper. To provide information about the project and facilitate feedback, the BLM will host a public meeting on November 8 from 5-7 p.m. in the Dahlia Room of the Hilton Garden Inn located at 1150 N. Poplar St. in Casper.
The BLM purchased the 35,668-acre Marton Ranch in 2022 with funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, connecting 40,000 acres of existing BLM and State of Wyoming managed lands and creating a 75,000-acre contiguous block of land available to the public. Since the purchase, the BLM has applied existing management decisions to the newly acquired property, managing the area the same as adjacent public lands.
“The Marton Ranch has been in public ownership for over a year, and many have had the chance to experience it,” acting Casper Field Manager Ben Bigalke says. “We want to hear from the community – what changes, if any, need to occur to how its managed.”
The BLM is asking the public to help identify issues or provide information that could be used to develop alternatives for future management of the property. Through public comment and coordination with partnering agencies and tribes, the BLM will determine if changes are needed to existing management decisions applied to the area. The extent, and type, of management updates identified through this early engagement will help decide the process moving forward. More opportunities to get involved will be offered in the future.
Comments must be postmarked by December 8, 2023. Written comments may be submitted at the meeting, by email to project manager Mike Robinson at m75robin@blm.gov or mailed to the following address: BLM Casper Field Office, Attn: Mike Robinson, 2987 Prospector Dr., Casper, WY 82604.
Additional information about the Marton Ranch land acquisition can be found on the BLM’s project website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2018049/510. To learn more about management decisions currently in place in the Casper field office, visit https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/63199/510.
For more information, please contact Mike Robinson at (307) 261-7520 or m75robin@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.