This Independence Day, celebrate the donation of public land

While our country’s founders fought for freedom from tyranny and oppressive taxes, personal liberty was central to America’s founding story.

Nearly 250 years later, personal liberty remains the great gift of our national sovereignty movement, and though signers of the Declaration of Independence could not have imagined it in 1776, the rise of public lands is one of the great expressions of our national identity. As colonists, we were surrounded by the wild forests and rivers of America, originally Native American territory, then considered the domain of the King of England and off-limits to our European ancestors living amid the boundless bounty of the New World.

But in the new United States, those public lands changed hands, becoming not the property of the king, but eventually of all citizens. Given that history, there is no better expression of your right as an American than to recreate this holiday on public lands.

Perhaps you’re visiting one of America’s 424 National parks that cover more than 84 million acres of mountains, red rock canyons, rivers and even tropical islands. Or perhaps you’ll stay at a designated campground while you hike some of the 188 million acres managed by the US Forest Service. Feeling a little more adventurous? Strap on a backpack and hike through 111 million acres of designated wilderness. Or find a remote two-track trail and camp next to your vehicle on the 247 million acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Maybe you want to see some wildlife? The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages over 560 national nature reserves and 70 national fish farms. Healthy habitats for wildlife are the agency’s top priority.

Those are just the federal lands that are open to you, your family, and your neighbors. Every state has thousands (some have hundreds of thousands) of acres that are managed as state parks or state forests. Nearly every mile of our rivers is open to public recreation, and tens of thousands of lakes and reservoirs offer fantastic fishing, camping, and water recreation opportunities.

Finding your way in public areas

Public lands can sometimes be resistant to visitation. They’re not always clearly marked or defined. Often, a vehicle is required to access them. Some charge a visit fee to cover the cost of administration and infrastructure improvements. And others are so remote and wild—we’re looking at you, Alaska—that access requires specific logistics and special equipment.

But there are plenty of resources to help you find public lands near you. If you’re looking for a campground or designated recreation area, visit www.recreatie.gov. Or maybe you want to find a place to hunt, hike, or fish. The Public Lands Foundation has interactive maps of federally managed public lands across the country. And each state wildlife and parks agency has maps and resources for visitors to state-managed lands.

If you like having technology at your fingertips, the onX mobile mapping app lets you view land ownership for nearly every acre in the country. This app can be a great resource for finding remote public parcels.

Financing of public land

As you recreate this Independence Day, keep in mind that while public lands are open to all, regardless of age, gender, race, or religion, they are not exactly free. They were taken from the Native Americans and were precious to our Founders, but this gift to all Americans and visitors in some cases required funds to obtain, and almost all public property requires ongoing maintenance, which is funded through a variety of channels.

Acquisition of public lands is made possible through direct purchase. In some cases, state wildlife agencies use revenues from hunting and fishing licenses to purchase deeds or conservation rights that allow full or limited public use of the property. In other cases, funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund are used to purchase parkland, wildlife habitat, or even municipal playground equipment. In the case of wildlife refuges, states use federal and state funds to acquire critical habitat that is then managed primarily for wildlife. Many of America’s most pristine wetlands and waterfowl production areas were purchased with funds from the Duck Stamp, a special permit required of every duck and goose hunter in America.

Read more: Anglers and gun owners generated a record $1.5 billion in conservation funding last year

Critical maintenance of our public infrastructure, including parking lots, fencing, weed control, campgrounds, and restrooms, is often funded by American hunters and anglers. Many state agencies receive a portion of the taxes that shooters and anglers pay when they purchase guns, ammunition, and fishing gear. Those tax revenues can only be used for projects that benefit wildlife management, habitat, outdoor recreation, and facilities such as shooting ranges, boat ramps, and wildlife refuge parking lots.

Although hunters and fishermen fund many of these infrastructure improvements, it is primarily Americans who have never purchased a hunting or fishing license who visit the area.

Read more: There will always be public hunting grounds in America

But you don’t have to worry too much about potholes, toilets or parking signs this holiday season as you enjoy America’s vast public spaces. Use our public property, share it, celebrate it and cherish it. Just know that our public spaces, like our freedom, are not free.

About the Outdoor Industry Communication Council

The Outdoor Industry Communication Council was created with the goal of educating all Americans about the origins of conservation funding in America. The council is governed by a multi-state conservation grantmaking organization and is represented by businesses, conservation organizations, professional communicators, and conservation groups.