Convened by the Ruckelshaus Institute at the University of Wyoming's Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources
in partnership with the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI)
The history of state trust land is inextricable from the very foundations of our democracy, but is often overlooked or misunderstood. From the mid 1700s to the late 1950s, state trust lands were granted to states upon admission to the union as a way to encourage public education, which America’s founders viewed as integral to a thriving republic. Today, there are approximately 46 million acres of state trust land across 23 states. 85 percent of them lie in the Intermountain West—Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Trust lands are managed to make money for schools and other public institutions, traditionally by selling leases for oil and gas development, mining, grazing, and logging, and through land sales. Taking the average of 2019 to 2023, Wyoming’s 3.5 million surface acres and 3.9 subsurface acres produce around $163 million in revenue annually, the vast majority of which comes from mineral leases and royalties, particularly oil and gas development. In addition to revenue generation, in 1992 the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners granted the public the privilege of using trust lands that they could access without trespassing on other lands, with the exception of camping and open fires.
As markets evolve and public interest in the management of Wyoming's state trust lands grows, the Ruckelshaus Institute sees this moment as an opportunity to create shared understanding about the history and role of state trust lands while exploring the potential of new and emerging uses to provide additional revenue streams to support Wyoming's public institutions.
Deadline to register is April 7, 2025.
Registration is $100 and includes breakfast and lunch both days.
Scholarships are available if the cost to attend is prohibitive. Contact Birch Malotky at bmalotky@uwyo.edu
8:30-9:30am: Breakfast and Registration
9:30-11am: Welcome and Presentation
For the Beneficiaries: Illuminating the oft-forgotten and misunderstood history and role of state trust lands, understanding current use and management, and looking to future challenges and opportunities.
11-11:15am: Break
11:15-12pm: Lightning talks. A brief foray into the investment side of state trust land.
12-1pm: Lunch
1-2pm: Panel + Audience Q&A.
Managing in the Mix: Successes and challenges navigating the interface between trust parcels and the lands and land use plans around them.
2-3pm: Facilitated dialogue + Audience participation
Engaging the Public, Meaningfully: A conversation about achieving more sustainable, less contentious land-use decisions.
3-3:15pm: Break
3:15-4:15pm: Panel
Beyond our Borders: State trust land management and innovation in other western states
4:15-4:45pm: Presentation + Audience Q&A
$100 million: An update on Kelly Parcel revenue and the proposed purchase of land in the Powder River Basin
4:45-6:00pm: Reception and poster session
Dinner on your own
8-9am: Breakfast
9-10:30am: Concurrent workshop sessions
New and Emerging Uses: What are the barriers and opportunities, how would it work, what benefits could it provide to the beneficiaries and others?
10:30-11am: Break
11-12:30pm: Concurrent workshop sessions
New and Emerging Uses: What are the barriers and opportunities, how would it work, what benefits could it provide to the beneficiaries and others?
12:30-1:30pm: Lunch
1:30-2:30: Concurrent workshop sessions
Bringing it Together: Integrating emerging and existing uses through partnership and policy
2:30-3:30: Panel + Audience Q&A
Takeaways and Moving Forward: Bringing knowledge and partnerships from the forum into your work
We have a room block reserved at the Hilton Garden Inn, just across the from the forum venue.
Rooms are $119/night and must be booked by March 23.
Call 307-745-550 with code "Emerging Issues Forum" or book through this link >
We seek additional support from foundations and donors who are interested in fostering sound, sustainable management of state trust lands. All sponsors will be recognized on the website and on materials at the conference.
To become a sponsor please contact Emerging Issues Initiative Coordinator Birch Malotky at bmalokty@uwyo.edu.