Public land in Central Oregon includes the 1.6 million-acre Deschutes National Forest and the 846,000-acre Ochoco National Forest. The BLM manages around 1.65 million acres in its Prineville District.

The Oregon State Land Board, which includes Gov. Tina Kotek, Secretary of State Tobias Read and State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner, unanimously appointed Lovell on July 9.