Public Land and Natural Resources Law

Discussion — 2 or 3 units. "Public lands" refers to national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and other lands owned and managed by the federal government.  These lands comprise approximately half of the land in California and the western U.S.  Various natural resources are found on public lands: timber, water, hard-rock minerals, oil and natural gas, renewable energy resources, wildlife, and wilderness.  This course covers the legal aspects of managing these lands and their resources, including the history of public land law, the scope of federal and state authority over the federal lands, and the allocation of public land resources among competing uses, including consumption, recreation, and preservation. The course grade will be based primarily on a final exam.

Prerequisites: Law 235 Administrative Law or Law 285 Environmental Law are recommended but not required.
Final Assessment: Exam
Grading Mode: Letter Grading