A Wide Variety of Illegal Activities Occurs on Federal Lands, Damaging Natural and Cultural Resources and Threatening Public and Employee Safety

As in America’s cities, suburbs, and rural areas, a wide variety of illegal  activities occurs on federal lands around the nation, damaging natural and  cultural resources and threatening the safety of the public and agency  employees. But it is unknown how often these illegal activities occur  because agency data do not fully capture the occurrence and magnitude of  such activities; similarly, the extent of resource damage and threats to  public and agency employee safety is also unknown. These activities may have overlapping effects on natural,  cultural, and historical resources; public access and safety; and the safety  of agency employees. These officials also identified a variety of impacts that these activities can  have on natural and cultural resources and public and employee safety. In  addition, theft or vandalism of archaeological and paleontological  resources can lead to the loss or destruction of irreplaceable artifacts and  deprive scientists of important sources of knowledge. They have generally  increased the number of law enforcement officers, directed officers to  respond to marijuana cultivation and illegal border activities, assigned  officers temporarily to areas needing a greater law enforcement presence,  and increased the training required for new law enforcement officers. For example, the Bureau of Land  Management has increased the number of its permanent law enforcement  officers by about 40 percent since fiscal year 2000, and the Forest Service  increased the number of its officers by almost 18 percent over the same  period. Similarly, since fiscal year 2006, the Fish and Wildlife Service  increased by about 26 percent the number of its permanent officers  performing law enforcement duties on a full-time basis. Agencies’ Determination of Law Enforcement Resource Needs and Distribution Does Not Systematically Assess the Risks Posed by Illegal Activities

Although land management agencies consider varied information on the  occurrence and effects of illegal activities on federal lands, the agencies do  not systematically assess the risks posed by such activities when  determining their needs for resources and where to distribute them. As a result, when making decisions  about needed law enforcement resources and how to distribute those  resources, the agencies cannot systematically assess the relative risks  faced by the hundreds of individual land management units across the  country. Applying the federal risk assessment standard to illegal activities  occurring on federal lands therefore suggests that—to respond effectively  to these activities and reduce their effect on natural and cultural  resources, the public, and agency employees—land management agencies  should, at a minimum, (1) comprehensively identify the risks posed by  illegal activities on their lands, (2) assess identified risks to determine  their magnitude and the likelihood of their occurrence, and (3) use  information from these assessments in determining the law enforcement  resources they need and how to distribute those resources. Without a more systematic method to assess the  risks posed by illegal activities and a stronger framework for managing  them, the agencies cannot be assured that they are allocating scarce  resources in a manner that effectively addresses the risk of illegal  activities on our nation’s federal lands. Recommendation for Executive Action

To help the agencies identify the law enforcement resources they need and  how to distribute these resources effectively, we recommend that the  Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior direct the Chief of the Forest  Service and the Directors of the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and  Wildlife Service, and National Park Service, respectively, to each take the  following action: Adopt a risk management approach to systematically  assess and address threats and vulnerabilities presented by illegal  activities on federal lands. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of our review were to determine (1) the types of illegal  activities occurring on federal lands and the effects of those activities on  natural and cultural resources, the public, and agency staff; (2) how the  agencies have used their law enforcement resources to respond to these  illegal activities; and (3) how the agencies determine their law  enforcement resource needs and distribute these resources.
Why GAO Did This Study

Four federal agencies--the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service in the Department of the Interior--are responsible for managing federal lands, enforcing federal laws governing the lands and their resources, and ensuring visitor safety. Illegal activities occurring on these lands have raised concerns that the four agencies are becoming less able to protect our natural and cultural resources and ensure public safety. GAO examined (1) the types of illegal activities occurring on federal lands and the effects of those activities on natural and cultural resources, the public, and agency employees; (2) how the agencies have used their law enforcement resources to respond to these illegal activities; and (3) how the agencies determine their law enforcement resource needs and distribute these resources. GAO reviewed agency documents, interviewed agency officials, and visited or contacted 26 selected agency units.

What GAO Found

A wide variety of illegal activities occurs on federal lands, damaging natural and cultural resources and threatening the safety of the public and agency employees. These activities can range from traffic violations to theft of natural and cultural resources to violent crimes. The frequency with which these illegal activities occur is unknown, as agency data do not fully capture the occurrence of such activities; similarly, the extent of resource damage and threats to public and agency employee safety is also unknown. These activities can have overlapping effects on natural, cultural, and historical resources; public access and safety; and the safety of agency employees. For example, illegal hunting results in the loss of wildlife and may also reduce opportunities for legal hunting. Also, cultivation of marijuana not only increases the availability of illegal drugs but fouls ecosystems and can endanger public and agency employee safety. And theft or vandalism of archaeological and paleontological resources can result in the loss or destruction of irreplaceable artifacts, diminishing sites for future visitors and depriving scientists of important sources of knowledge. In response to illegal activities occurring on federal lands, agencies have taken a number of actions. For example, three of the four agencies have increased their number of permanent law enforcement officers in recent years. The Bureau of Land Management increased its number of law enforcement officers by about 40 percent since fiscal year 2000, the Forest Service by almost 18 percent during the same period, and the Fish and Wildlife Service by about 26 percent since fiscal year 2006. The agencies have also directed officers to respond specifically to marijuana cultivation and illegal border activities, assigned officers temporarily to areas needing a greater law enforcement presence during certain events and law enforcement operations, and increased the training required for new officers. Although land management agencies consider varied information on the occurrence and effects of illegal activities on federal lands, the agencies do not systematically assess the risks posed by such activities when determining their needs for resources and where to distribute them. While available information helps the agencies to identify many of the risks that illegal activities pose to natural and cultural resources, the public, and agency employees, limitations in this information do not allow officials to fully assess either the magnitude of those risks or the likelihood of their occurrence. As a result, the agencies cannot systematically assess the relative risks faced by the hundreds of individual land management units across the country when making decisions about needed law enforcement resources and how to distribute those resources. Without systematic approaches to assess the risks they face, the agencies may have limited assurance that they are allocating scarce resources in a manner that effectively addresses the risk of illegal activities on our nation's federal lands.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that the agencies adopt a risk management approach to systematically assess and address threats and vulnerabilities presented by illegal activities on federal lands. In commenting on a draft of this report, the Forest Service and Interior concurred with GAO's recommendation.