The American people own roughly 640 million acres of public land—about 28 percent of the nation—held by federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation and Forest Service. These lands generate trillions of dollars and are at the center of major political fights. Yet, until now, no major outlet had a dedicated public lands desk. Last week, former Outside editor in chief Chris Keyes launched RE:PUBLIC, a nonprofit newsroom focused exclusively on public lands coverage.
Keyes says RE:PUBLIC’s sole mission is reporting on the management, policy and politics of public lands. He planned a first-year budget of $500,000 to hire an editorial director and a Washington, D.C.–based reporter, launch a podcast and social channels, run a dozen investigative features, and build a data team, regional reporters and an annual print publication.
Why now?
Keyes points to unprecedented threats to public lands, ongoing debates about agency rollbacks and land sales, and a dramatic contraction in journalism—he cites roughly 75 percent fewer journalists in the U.S. than two decades ago. “The media is overwhelmed,” he says, and public lands rarely rise high on national desks’ agendas. RE:PUBLIC aims to fill that niche.
Origins and model
After leaving Outside in February 2025, Keyes spent April drafting a business plan. Influenced by nonprofit news models such as the Texas Tribune, he decided a single-topic national newsroom devoted to public lands could find an audience and impact. He’s fiscally sponsored by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) while awaiting 501(c)(3) approval and will disclose donors who give more than $5,000 as part of INN rules.
Funding and independence
For its first year, RE:PUBLIC is prioritizing individual donors and foundations—individual gifts are quicker to secure, while foundations can provide sustaining support more slowly. Keyes intends to approach outdoor-industry brands later, after establishing a stable funding base, to avoid transactional compromises. He plans to hire editorial leadership separate from his role so fundraising and editorial decisions remain distinct, maintaining newsroom independence.
Editorial stance
RE:PUBLIC will not be an advocacy organization. Keyes frames the outlet as a journalistic entity that investigates policy proposals—such as land sales pitched as housing remedies—rather than reflexively defending every acre. Still, he acknowledges the project comes with two priors: that climate change is real and human-caused, and that recreation and conservation interests need a stronger voice in management decisions. He sees public lands coverage as a rare bipartisan issue, with surveys showing wide voter support for keeping lands public, though the coalition is loose and fragmented.
Coverage goals and editorial strategy
In year one, Keyes aims to fund 10–12 feature-length investigative stories focused on high-impact reporting rather than a constant stream of short pieces. He recognizes the need for compelling narratives to avoid audience fatigue, and wants reporting that examines all sides before drawing conclusions. RE:PUBLIC will cover national and regional issues, with plans for a data team and regional reporters to dig into local management and policy questions.
Practical challenges
Keyes admits some blind spots in his initial budget—for example, allocating only 4 percent for photography while earmarking 27 percent for story fees. He concedes photographers elevate stories and expects to adjust resources. He’s also wrestling with scope: many funders support local or regional journalism, which pressures nonprofit outlets to define geographic focus. Based in the West, RE:PUBLIC argues that most public-land conflicts and management issues play out there and wants to amplify Western perspectives often underrepresented by East Coast–centered media.
Tone and audience
Keyes emphasizes nonpartisan reporting and hopes to reach both conservation-minded and recreation-focused readers, along with policymakers. He sees the outdoor industry as a powerful but fragmented $1.2 trillion sector that could play a larger role in public lands debates if it speaks more coherently.
Outlook
RE:PUBLIC launches amid a contested political environment for public lands management. Keyes says the newsroom’s ambition is modest but focused: build a sustainable nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative, narrative-driven coverage to inform debates over how public lands are used and protected. He’s begun fundraising and hiring and expects the project to evolve, but for now the mandate is clear—cover public lands and nothing else.
