This book provides a brief historical overview of public land law in the United States and analyzes the constitutional basis for ownership and regulation of federal lands and natural resources. It covers the statutory basis for determining appropriate uses for federal lands and for assessment of the environmental impacts of activities on those lands.

It also analyzes the rules governing planning and management of the water, mineral, timber, range, wildlife, recreation, and preservation resources on federal lands. Finally, it covers important recent public land law developments - in Congress, in the land management agencies, and in the courts.