John Freemuth, Academic Candidate
Biographical Statement
John Freemuth is Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Cecil Andrus Endowed Chair of Environment and Public Lands at Boise State University. His primary interest is with the public lands of the United States and he has written a number of books and articles and given over 100 presentations on our public lands. He chaired the Science Advisory Board of the Bureau of Land Management, after being appointed by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. He is principal investigator on a grant from the United States Geological Survey, involving mapping the protected areas of the United States (PAD US) and with the Andrus Center is working on a grant from the Bureau of Land Management on policy issues surrounding BLM. He has been a high school teacher, and seasonal park ranger. While a ranger, at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, he wrote “Wanderer for Beauty: Everett Ruess in the Glen Canyon Area”, a park interpretive handout and is glad Everett has yet to be found. Waldo Reuss, Everett’s brother, sent him a letter where he said he enjoyed reading it, which made the author’s day. He has a BA from Pomona College and a Ph.D. from Colorado State University. He was named the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching /CAES Professor of the Year for Idaho for 2001.
Vision and Purpose for Running
Over my time as an academic who studies public lands from as practical and relevant position as possible, I have developed a relationship with many journalists when it comes to the discussion of our public lands. I have found those discussions incredibly useful in an equal and collaborative way; I have learned more about what a journalist thinks are the most important aspects about environmental issues, and in turn I have been able to provide a policy and historical context to public lands issues such as, say, the Antiquities Act. A humorous example: I once explained to several east coast-based radio hosts that the Malheur Wildlife Refuge occupation was not about ranchers mad at Black Lives Matter, but rather, the Bureau of Land Management. What followed was a fun on-the-air foray into public lands history.
These relationships led me to take the lead in supporting Boise State University’s invitation to SEJ to bring next year’s annual conference to Boise, where we can help provide context on, and visibility of, intermountain environmental issues.
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