Sikes Act — Natural Resources Management on Military Installations
The United States military controls more than 25 million acres of land — more than some entire states — including forests, wetlands, coastal estuaries, and desert ecosystems that happen to be inside the perimeter of a military base. Congress recognized in the Sikes Act of 1960 that these lands harbor significant natural resources and that the Department of Defense has a responsibility to manage them, not just for training readiness but for wildlife conservation and public outdoor recreation. The Act, codified at 16 U.S.C. §§ 670a–670k, requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a cooperative program for the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources on military installations, working with the Fish and Wildlife Service, state fish and wildlife agencies, and — in many cases — opening installations to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation by the public.
Current Law (2026)
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Core statute | 16 U.S.C. §§ 670a–670k (Sikes Act of 1960, as amended) |
| Administering agency | Secretary of Defense (each military department); coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies |
| Key planning requirement | Each military installation with significant natural resources must have an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) developed cooperatively with FWS and the state wildlife agency |
| INRMP review cycle | Every 5 years |
| Hunting and fishing | Secretary of Defense may establish programs allowing hunting, fishing, and trapping on installations under state law and subject to base security and mission requirements (§ 670b) |
| Public outdoor recreation | Secretary may develop, improve, operate, and maintain public outdoor recreation facilities and programs on installations (§ 670c) |
| Cooperative agreements | Military departments may enter agreements with states, local governments, Indian tribes, nonprofits, and others for land management, conservation, and recreation programs (§ 670c-1) |
| Natural resources staffing | Each installation with an INRMP must have qualified natural resources management personnel (§ 670e-2) |
| Funding | Receipts from hunting/fishing permits, recreation fees, and timber sales can be retained and reinvested in natural resources management |
Legal Authority
- 16 U.S.C. § 670a — Cooperative plan requirement: the Secretary of Defense must carry out a program to provide for the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources on military installations, developed and executed cooperatively with the Secretary of the Interior and the head of the state fish and wildlife agency; every installation with significant natural resources must have an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan reviewed every 5 years
- 16 U.S.C. § 670b — Migratory game birds and hunting permits: the Secretary of Defense, working with the Secretary of the Interior and state agencies, may carry out programs to develop, enhance, and manage migratory game bird and other wildlife populations on installations; the Secretary may issue special hunting, fishing, and trapping permits subject to applicable state law
- 16 U.S.C. § 670c — Public outdoor recreation: the Secretary of Defense may carry out a program to develop, improve, operate, and maintain public outdoor recreation facilities and programs on military installations, subject to military mission requirements and security constraints
- 16 U.S.C. § 670c-1 — Cooperative and interagency agreements: a military department may enter cooperative agreements and interagency agreements with states, local governments, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, and Federal agencies for the management of natural resources and for the operation of outdoor recreation programs on installations; these agreements may include timber management, wildfire prevention, and habitat restoration
- 16 U.S.C. § 670e-2 — Natural resources management personnel: each installation with an INRMP must be staffed with at least one full-time natural resources manager; the Secretary of Defense must ensure installations have qualified personnel to implement their INRMPs
- 16 U.S.C. § 670f — Funding: funds received from hunting and fishing permit fees, recreation user fees, and compatible timber sales on installations may be credited to the installation's natural resources management accounts and used without further appropriation for INRMP implementation
Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans (INRMPs)
The INRMP is the central tool of Sikes Act implementation. Every installation with significant natural resources — broadly interpreted to include forests, wetlands, threatened species habitat, migratory bird flyways, and coastal areas — must develop an INRMP cooperatively with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the relevant state wildlife agency. The plan must address:
- Inventory and monitoring of fish, wildlife, and plant resources
- Identification of threatened and endangered species and critical habitat
- Wildfire prevention and prescribed burning programs
- Timber management compatible with wildlife objectives
- Hunting, fishing, and trapping access and permit programs
- Public recreation facilities and programs
- Water resource management and wetlands protection
The INRMP review every five years is intended to adapt management to changing conditions and mission requirements. The INRMP process is coordinated with but separate from compliance obligations under the Endangered Species Act Section 7 and the National Environmental Policy Act. The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act also requires FWS consultation for water projects on installations that affect streams or water bodies.
Military Lands and Biodiversity
Military installations are sometimes described as unintentional wildlife refuges (see National Wildlife Refuge System for the dedicated federal refuge network). Large buffer zones around training areas, restrictions on development, and decades of limited public access have allowed ecosystems to persist that have been converted to agriculture or development elsewhere. Fort Bragg in North Carolina hosts one of the largest concentrations of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker in the country. Eglin Air Force Base in Florida contains the largest contiguous tract of old-growth longleaf pine east of the Mississippi. The Barry M. Goldwater Range in Arizona encompasses Sonoran Desert ecosystems under active air combat training.
The Sikes Act's requirement for cooperative INRMPs means these resources are managed under a framework that involves not just the military but FWS and state wildlife biologists. This creates an unusual governance structure where military commanders must consult with civilian conservation agencies about land management decisions, even on land used for active training.
Hunting, Fishing, and Public Recreation
Section 670b authorizes the Secretary of Defense to allow hunting, fishing, and trapping on military installations, subject to state law and base security. Many Army, Air Force, and Marine installations operate public hunting programs — typically permit-based, with fees supporting habitat management. Hunters on military lands are subject to both state hunting regulations and any additional base-specific rules. Access is controlled by the installation and may be suspended at any time for security or training reasons.
The public outdoor recreation program under Section 670c operates similarly — camping, hiking, fishing, and other recreational uses may be authorized where compatible with the military mission. Some large western installations have become significant recreation destinations.
How It Affects You
<!-- pria:personalize type="impact" -->If you hunt or fish: Many military installations operate public hunting and fishing programs that are available to civilians with a permit. The Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson excise tax programs fund complementary wildlife and sport fish restoration on state-managed public lands. These programs often provide access to relatively undisturbed habitat not available on crowded public lands. Hunters and anglers must comply with state license requirements in addition to the base permit process. Access rules vary significantly by installation and may change with training schedules.
If you work in wildlife conservation or environmental consulting: INRMPs create significant contracting opportunities for biological surveys, habitat assessments, prescribed burn programs, and monitoring work on military lands. The five-year review cycle generates recurring consulting work. Coordination with the military's natural resources staff and FWS is required for projects affecting installation natural resources.
If you work in state fish and wildlife agencies: Your agency has a formal role in INRMP development and review under the Sikes Act. State wildlife managers sit at the table with installation commanders and FWS biologists to negotiate management plans for wildlife populations that cross installation boundaries. The cooperative management framework is intended to integrate installation management into the broader landscape-scale conservation picture.
If you are an installation commander or DoD environmental staff: The INRMP is a legal requirement, not optional guidance. Failure to maintain a current, FWS-approved INRMP can create complications for ESA Section 7 consultations and NEPA reviews. The staffing requirement (§ 670e-2) means natural resources manager positions on installations are mandated, not discretionary.
<!-- /pria:personalize -->State Variations
The Sikes Act requires that hunting, fishing, and trapping programs on military installations comply with applicable state law — the installation cannot create a state-law-free zone for wildlife harvest. State bag limits, seasons, and licensing requirements apply to activities on military lands unless a specific federal preemption applies. State wildlife agencies are formal partners in INRMP development, giving states meaningful influence over wildlife management on federal military lands within their borders.
Pending Legislation
No major amendments to the Sikes Act are pending as of 2026. The Act has been reauthorized periodically through defense authorization bills, and INRMP requirements have been strengthened through successive amendments. There is ongoing policy discussion about whether military conservation funding is adequate to meet the INRMP mandate across all installations with significant natural resources.
Recent Developments
Climate change is reshaping INRMP planning on many installations — shifts in precipitation, increasing wildfire risk, and species range changes are altering the conservation challenges facing installation natural resources managers. The Department of Defense has incorporated climate resilience into INRMP guidance, recognizing that degraded natural resources (particularly water resources) can affect training readiness as well as conservation objectives. Several installations have expanded cooperative agreements with state agencies and conservation nonprofits to address landscape-scale threats that extend beyond installation boundaries.