Public Lands and Resources Law

NOTE: This course has two different course descriptions. Make sure you read the correct one for the section in which you wish to register.

Public Lands and Resource Law - Professor Michael Blumm

• Course Number: LAW-420
• Course Type: Foundational
• Credits: 4
• Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
• Description: This course surveys the constitutional, statutory, and common law governing the management of federal lands, which comprise over one-quarter of the nation’s land mass and over one-half of the state of Oregon. The course reviews the history of public land acquisition, disposition, and reservation, and also examines the authority of Congress, the Executive, the judiciary, and the states over public land, focusing especially on the West, where public lands predominate. The course explains the laws related to the use of public forests, rangelands, and minerals as well as the water, wildlife, recreation, and wilderness resources of the public lands. The application of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act to federal lands are specific topics of emphasis as is public lands litigation and the role of public lands in helping to contribute to and ameliorate the climate crisis.
• Prerequisite: none
• Evaluation Method: Final take-home examination; class participation
• Capstone: no
• WIE: no

Public Lands and Resource Law - Professor Dan Rohlf

• Course Number: LAW-420
• Course Type: Foundational
• Credits: 3
• Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
• Description: This course surveys the constitutional, statutory and common law governing the management of federal lands. It includes a review of the history of public land acquisition, disposition, and reservation, and also examines the authority of Congress, the executive, the judiciary, and the states over public lands which predominate in the western United States. The course examines laws related to the use of forest, range, mineral, water, wildlife, recreation and wilderness resources of the public lands as well as the application of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act to federal lands. Grades are based on a take-home examination and class participation.
• Prerequisite: none
• Evaluation Method: Final exam
• Capstone: no
• WIE: no