UM Directory

Martin Nie is Professor of Natural Resources Policy and Director of the Bolle Center for People and Forests. His research and teaching focuses on federal public lands and wildlife law, policy and management. He is the author of dozens of scholarly articles, law reviews, two books, and even more applied policy analysis. A central theme of his scholarly work are the challenges and opportunities of managing shared resources that cross boundaries amongst federal, state and tribal sovereign governments. Some of his most recent research and writing focuses on tribal co-management, wildlife conservation on federal lands, and public lands planning. He advises and consults across a broad range of public lands and wildlife issues, especially at the sweet spot where law meets policy and impacts on-the-ground management. 

For roughly 25 years, Nie has taught courses in public lands, resources and wildlife policy. He takes particular pride in doing this at UM and in the old “School of Forestry,” a special College with a history of doing influential work. He is a recipient of the University of Montana’s Distinguished Teaching Award, a special recognition based on "a history of excellence in classroom teaching" and given to professors who "have demonstrated a quality long-term impact on their students." Nie is still passionate about teaching public lands and wildlife conservation and takes the greatest joy in watching his former students become leaders in their fields and do such important work. 

Nie grew up in Ontario, Canada and received degrees from the University of Nebraska and Northern Arizona University. He loves to ski as much as possible, hunt and hike the mountains of Montana, float wild rivers, fish in his canoe, live in his wall tent, and mess around in his garage listening to vintage country and rock and roll. He also enjoys playing hockey, Irish whiskey, and strong cheese.

Courses Taught

NRSM 422:  Natural Resources Policy (undergraduate & graduate).  This course examines public land and resources policy, law and administration from multiple perspectives.  It covers environmental and administrative decision making and various contemporary resource management problems and conflicts.  A number of substantive policy areas are examined including national forests, public rangelands, water, wildlife and biodiversity, and protected areas, among others.  These substantive areas are approached and analyzed in a number of different ways.  422 is generally taught every fall (by Nie) and spring semester (by Chaffin), and can be taken for undergraduate and graduate credit.  Spring 2023 Syllabus. 

WILD 410: Wildlife Policy. This course examines wildlife law, policy and politics from multiple perspectives. Students are provided an intense introduction to the legal framework of fish and wildlife management in the United States (with coverage of U.S. and state constitutions, key wildlife statutes, administrative regulations, and case law).  The political context of wildlife management is provided so that students can better understand the conflicts and tensions in the field. A major part of the class focuses on the Endangered Species Act. This important law is used as a way to investigate a number of broader challenges and opportunities related to the conservation of biological diversity. The class is organized as a discussion-oriented large seminar with roughly thirty undergraduate and graduate students. Most sessions will include a very short background lecture followed by more in-depth class discussions on assigned readings. Spring 2024 Syllabus. 

WILD 410  and/or NRSM 422 Natural Resources Policy: There is no prerequisite for WILD 410 but students are strongly encouraged to first take NRSM 422.  The latter provides a foundational introduction to the field of natural resources law and policy, with a wider focus on federal land management, water law, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). There will inevitably be some overlap between the two courses but WILD 410 is designed to provide students a more narrow and specialized introduction to policy and politics, with a focus on wildlife conservation. 

Field of Study

Federal public lands, resources and wildlife policy

Selected Publications

Resources Related to "Bridges to a New Era: Reports on the Past, Present and Potential Future of Tribal Co-Management of Federal Public Lands and Resources"

M. Mills & M. Nie, "Bridges to a New Era: A Report on the Past, Present, and Potential Future of Tribal Co-Management on Federal Public Lands," Public Land & Resources Law Review 44 (2021): 49-184. 

M. Mills & M. Nie, "Bridges to a New Era, Part 2: A Report on the Past, Present and Potential Future of Tribal Co-Management on Federal Public Lands in Alaska," Columbia Journal of Environmental Law 46 (2022): 176-272. (Additional material, including executive summary and presentation materials available at Bolle Center)

A. Glendenning, M. Nie, & M. Mills, "(Some) Land Back...sort of: The Transfer of Federal Public Lands to Indian Tribes since 1970," Natural Resources Journal 63 (2023): 200-282.  

Sovereign-to-Sovereign Cooperative Agreements: An Online Repository of Land Co-Management Materials (A Cooperative Project with Native American Rights Fund, 2023--Current) (includes materials, policy briefings, frequently-asked questions about tribal co-management and stewardship, planning modules, etc.).  (more about the online collection here).

M. Mills & M. Nie, Tribal Co-Management and Co-Stewardship: 101 (Link to a "Stewarding Native Lands Webinar" provided by the First Nations Development Institute, 2024).  

Other Recent Writing and Scholarship

Nie, M. "The Public Trust Doctrine and Wildlife Management in Montana: A Primer," Public Land & Resources Law Review 47 (2024): 1-41.  

Nie, M., et al. "Response to Kisonak's 'Fish and Wildlife Management on Federal Lands: The Authorities and Responsibilities of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies," Environmental Law 50 (2020): 973-997.  

Nie, M., Landres, N., & M. Bryan, "The Public Trust in Wildlife: Closing the Implementation Gap in 13 Western States," Environmental Law Reporter, 50, no. 11 (2020). 

Nie, M. Reclaiming the National Interest in Federal Public Lands & Wildlife Conservation (Missoula, MT: Bolle Center for People and Forests, 2020).  

Nie, M. "Wildlife Diversity and National Forest Management: A Goal or Obstacle for the U.S. Forest Service?"  Endangered Species and Other Wildlife 12B-1 (Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, 2019).  (talk at the special institute of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation).  

Brown, S.J. & M.Nie, "Making Forest Planning Great Again? Early Implementation of the Forest Service's 2012 National Forest Planning Rule," Natural Resources & Environment 33, no. 3 (Winter 2019): 3-8.  

Nie, M. (Ed.), "The Forest Service's 2012 Planning Rule and its Implementation: Federal Advisory Committee Member Perspectives," Journal of Forestry 117, no. 1 (2019): 65-71.  

Nie, M. & P. Kelly, "State and Local Control of Federal Lands: New Developments in the Transfer of Federal Lands Movement," Ecology Law Currents, Vol. 45 (2018): 186-199.  

Nie, M. et al. "Fish and Wildlife Management on Federal Lands: Debunking State Supremacy," Environmental Law, 47, no. 4 (2017): 797-932.  More about this project, including briefing materials, presentations, and an FAQ available here). 

Nie, M. "Transferring Federal Lands to States: Unanswered Questions and Implications for Wildlife," Plenary Talk at Montana Chapter and Northwest Section of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Mar. 8, 2017.  

Nie, M. & P. Metcalf, "National Forest Management: The Contested Use of Collaboration and Litigation," Environmental Law Reporter 46 (2016): 10208-10221.  

Nie, M. & C. Barns, "The 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act: The Next Chapter in Wilderness Designation, Politics and Management," Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy 5 (2014): 237-301.  See coverage of topic and article in Greenwire. 

Nie, M. & E. Schembra. "The Important Role of Standards in National Forest Planning, Law, and Management," Environmental Law Reporter 44 (2014): 10281-10298.

Nie, M. “Invited Testimony on Montana Legislature’s Joint Resolution No. 15 on the Study of Public Land Management in Montana.”(On the effort to study the transfer of federal lands to the state of Montana).  Montana State Legislature’s Environmental Quality Council, Helena, MT.  Sept. 11, 2013.

Schultz, C., T. Sisk, B. Noon, and M. Nie. “Wildlife Conservation Planning under the United States Forest Service’s 2012 Planning Rule,” Journal of Wildlife Management 77, no. 3 (2013): 428-444.

Nie, M. “Whatever Happened to Ecosystem Management and Federal Lands Planning?” in Kalyani Robbins, ed., The Laws of Nature: Reflections on the Evolution of Ecosystem Management Law and Policy (Akron, OH: University of Akron Press, 2013), pp. 67-94.

Nie, M. and C. Schultz, “Decision-Making Triggers in Adaptive Management,” Conservation Biology 26, no. 6 (2012): 1137-1144.

Schultz, C. and M. Nie, “Decision-Making Triggers, Adaptive Management, and Natural Resources Law and Planning,” Natural Resources Journal 52 (2012): 443-521

Nie, M. "Place-Based National Forest Legislation and Agreements: Common Characteristics and Policy Recommendations," Environmental Law Reporter, 41 (2011): 10229-10246.  PDF here.  Appendix (comparison tables).

Nie, M. Prepared Statement on National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule.  U.S. Forest Service, National Science Forum (Washington, D.C.: March 30, 2010). PDF here.

Nie, M. & M. Fiebig. "Managing the National Forests through Place-Based Legislation," Ecology Law Quarterly, 37, no. 1 (2010): 1-52.  PDF here.

Nie, M. Congressional Testimony on S. 1470, the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act.  U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Dec. 14, 2009).  PDF here.

Nie, M. "Interview with President Bush's Undersecretary of Agriculture, Mark Rey," Headwaters News (April 22, 2009).

Burchfield, J. & M. Nie. National Forests Policy Assessment: Report to Senator Jon Tester (Missoula, MT: University of Montana, College of Forestry and Conservation, 2008).  PDF here.

Nie, M. "The Use of Co-Management and Protected Land Use Designations to Protect Tribal Cultural Resources and Reserved Treaty Rights on Federal Lands," Natural Resources Journal, 48 (2008): 1-63. PDF here.

Nie, M. "The Underappreciated Role of Regulatory Enforcement in Natural Resource Conservation," Policy Sciences, 41, no. 2 (2008): 139-164.  PDF here.

Nie, M. The Governance of Western Public Lands: Mapping Its Present & Future (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2008)

Nie, M. “Governing the Tongass: National Forest Conflict & Political Decision Making,” Environmental Law 36, no. 2 (2006): 385-480. PDF here.

Nie, M. “The 2005 National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning Regulations: Comments and Analysis.” Public Land & Resources Law Review 27 (2006): 99-106. PDF here.

Nie, M. “Statutory Detail and Administrative Discretion in Public Lands Governance: Arguments and Alternatives,” Journal of Environmental Law & Litigation 19, no. 2 (2004/2005): 223-291. PDF here.

Nie, M. “Administrative Rulemaking and Public Lands Conflict: The Forest Service’s Roadless Rule.” Natural Resources Journal 44 (2004): 687-742. PDF here.

Nie, M. “State Wildlife Governance and Carnivore Conservation,” in Nina Fascione, Aimee Delach, and Martin E. Smith, eds., People and Predators: From Conflict to Coexistence (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004), pp. 197-218.

Nie, M. “State Wildlife Policy and Management: The Scope and Bias of Political Conflict.” Public Administration Review 64, no. 2 (2004): 206-218.

Nie, M. “Drivers of Natural Resource-based Political Conflict.” Policy Sciences 36 (2003): 307-341. PDF here.

Nie, M. Beyond Wolves: The Politics of Wolf Recovery and Management (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2003)

Affiliations

Nie is the Director of the Bolle Center for People and Forests. 

Core faculty member in the College's Program in Environmental Science & Sustainability.  

Off-and-on again relationship with the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Toronto Maple Leafs.