All three agencies manage a sizable amount natural land and that is primarily where their similarities end. The National Park Service dedicated to preserving unique and rare landscapes such as Yellowstone National Park. The U.S. Forest Service manages over 193 million acres of national forest, with an emphasis on balancing timber production, wildlife protection and wildfires. However, the Bureau of Land Management main focus is on mineral and energy extraction, within its territory.
The Bureau of Land Management created from the merger of the “General Land Office (GLO) and Grazing services in 1946.” (Dale, 2015) When this happened, The Bureau of Land Management was only concerned with the “leftover lands” which was at the time grazing and shrubland which carried value because of mining and grazing opportunities. Currently, the BLM responsibility is at an estimated, “264 million acres they are managing most of the land in the country.” (Dale, 2015)
The Endangered Species Act impacted the U.S. Forest Service drastically, as they were increasing the timber supply across the country. Ultimately they were clearing out large patches of land and leaving animals without homes. This clash was because of a specific clause within the Endangered Species Act that states, “Conservation of habitat have thus been focused on protecting two main kinds of habitat: (a) habitat used by species that are already in danger of becoming extinct, and (b) habitat containing so much biodiversity that it must be maintained to stave off future endangerment.” (Dale, 2015, p. 9.3) Chopping down the forest for timber fell into both of these categories, animals in danger of becoming extinct and ensuring the proper ecosystem for animals to live.

References

Dale, L. (2015). Environmental Policies. Bridgepoint Education LLC,.