The South Dakota Field Office (SDFO) manages over 274,000 surface acres and around 1.5 million acres of subsurface mineral estate in South Dakota. The majority of the surface acres are located west of the Missouri River in 13 counties; mineral estate is found in 32 of the 66 counties. Butte County in western South Dakota has the majority of the surface acres with around 145,000 acres. 

A majority of the vegetation on the BLM-administered lands is prairie grassland or juniper woodlands.  However, lands at Fort Meade Recreation Area and around Lead and Deadwood have ponderosa pine. Fort Meade Recreation Area has opportunities for camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and a Back Country Byway with interpretive signs (see the link below). 

The BLM-administered lands throughout the state are used for livestock grazing, mineral extraction, forest management, and recreation (especially hunting) if public access exists. 

In the Spotlight 

BLM to begin burning slash piles

GCC Dacotah right-of-way request | Federal Register Notice | Press release | Location map | Scoping slide show (4.7 mb) | Scoping Report (3.8 mb) 

Fuels reduction project planned near Lead

South Dakota Field Office begins resource management planning process 

Dakotas Resource Advisory Council

Visit the Fort Meade Recreation Area and Fort Meade Museum