PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Take a drive down any dirt road in any forest, near any mountain range in Arizona, and you are likely to see a beautiful, natural view.

But, there are also minerals in these lands, and the new Interior Secretary has made it clear: He wants more mining, drilling and chopping.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said, “In North Dakota, we created a prosperous economy by sustainably developing our natural resources.” One of his first acts as Secretary was to sign orders to “encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters.” Now, even some national monuments that had been off-limits are open for review by the mining and energy sectors.

Arizona’s Family spoke with Taylor McKinnon from the Center for Biological Diversity about the impact this could have on Arizona’s public land. When asked why it is problematic to open these spaces back up for review he said all of these lands were designated as protected for a reason.

“Each of these places was protected in the first place because there are values, cultural sites, important habitats, and iconic landscapes that people like to visit that weren’t compatible with energy development,” McKinnon said.

He says the energy and mining industries leave the landscape scarred forever. “Once an area is mined, it’ll never be the same again.”

Arizona’s backcountry faces rising threat from growing outdoor tourism trends

McKinnon and other public lands advocates believe Arizona is a target because it has so much federal land. Nearly 40% of the state is owned by the federal government.

From the Grand Canyon to the Sonoran Desert, these spaces draw tourists from across the country—tourists that spend billions of dollars every year in our hotels and restaurants. Which ultimately has a huge impact on the state of Arizona.

Dozens of people gathered in front of the State Capitol to urge lawmakers to protect public spaces from mining, development and private ownership. The group held signs with sayings such as, “Public lands in public hands.” They say this fight is too important for them to stay quiet.

Tina Mollica who was at the rally said, “As soon as the executive order went out that they were firing the park rangers, I was infuriated.”

The people rallying in front of the capitol are hoping that, in the end, public support for enjoying nature outweighs the support for exploiting nature’s resources.

“I want my grandchildren and their children to enjoy some of the things we’ve been able to enjoy,” another attendee Mary Marmor said.

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