Forrest Fenn hid a treasure chest full of gold and diamonds somewhere out in the Rocky Mountains because he wanted kids to go outside and smell the sunshine, inspiring hosts of naturalists to hide their own treasures and, more importantly, enjoy the treasures that are U.S. public lands. 

But these treasured lands and parks have suffered abuse, neglect and the constant threat of being sold off by zealous policymakers looking to open up millions of acres of protected space for development or resource mining, an act some experts akin to political suicide. 

Join us for the ninth episode of Sidebar this season as we poke around vast swaths of beaches, mountains, canyons and river beds in pursuit of what treasures these U.S. public lands hold. 

Special guests: 

• Chris Winter, executive director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center at the University of Colorado Law School
• Historian Gwen Lockman
• Arthur Gailes, research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
• Rick Williams, founder and executive director of the People of the Sacred Land
• John Leshy, emeritus distinguished professor of law at UC Law SF
• Author Jon Collins-Black

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This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens.

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.