Sidebar: National treasure

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 consider 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

Sidebar tackles the top stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Hillel Aron, Kirk McDaniel, Amanda Pampuro, Kelsey Reichmann and Josh Russell as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down developments to help you understand how they affect your day-to-day life.

This episode was produced by Hillel Aron. Intro music by The Dead Pens.

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

More news about public lands:

• House Republicans push to sell thousands of acres of public lands in the West
• Trump nominee for public lands post withdraws after her criticism of Jan. 6 Capitol attack surfaces
• Arizonans rally to demand lawmakers protect public lands