The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Ashley national forests are iconic public lands in our neck of the woods. They provide countless opportunities to pursue big game such as elk and mule deer, fish for trout in cold streams, habitat for upland game birds and space to enjoy the great outdoors. Rep. Blake Moore, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, helped successfully pass legislation last week that would have significant benefits for hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreators who enjoy these Utah gems and others like them.

The Modernizing Access to our Public Land (MAPLand) Act (HR 3113) is important for hunters, anglers and outdoor recreators because it requires public land management agencies to digitize map records on accessible public lands. This means less-accessible paper maps are going to be available on a cellphone screen, our modern mapping device, and more easily accessible for the vast majority of Americans. The Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers have thousands of paper records to standardize, compile and release for digital access. This new wealth of publicly available information will allow us to discover new opportunities on our public lands and waters.

Original source can be found here.