The Bureau of Land Management’s Role in Managing America’s Wilderness Wilderness Act The BLM’s Wilderness Role Benefits of Wilderness BLM Wilderness Management BLM Many wilderness lands are managed by the Bureau A central piece of the BLM’s National System of Wilderness is everyone’s to share and enjoy: and international audience. Local communities of 1964 of Land Management (BLM), which manages more Public Lands is the National Landscape Conservation may benefit economically from nearby Program Emphasis Areas Wilderness • Wilderness provides time than 245 million acres of public land, the most of System, otherwise known as “National Conservation wilderness through increased visitation and local In 1964, Congress passed the Wilderness Act, to reflect and find solitude PRESERVING WILDERNESS any other federal agency. BLM public lands, known Lands.” These lands include approximately 8.7 million expenditures, as well as through the protection Management and solace. CHARACTER which established the National Wilderness as the National System of Public Lands, are primarily acres of wilderness areas and 12.8 million acres of and enhancement of amenities related to quality • Wilderness provides Preserving wilderness character is at located in 12 western states, including Alaska. wilderness study areas (WSAs), containing some of of life. Preservation System and designated the first opportunities for the heart of the BLM’s responsibility Program the wildest and most remote places in America. • Many local outfitters and guides specialize in recreation, including to ensure its wilderness areas are wilderness areas. The purpose of the Wilderness The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain leading comfortable and exciting wilderness hiking, camping, protected for future generations. In Priorities Act is to provide long-term preservation the health, diversity, and productivity of The BLM’s National Conservation Lands are adventures for individual travelers or larger horseback riding, fishing, 2008, the BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 4. Engage youth and underserved communities. the public lands for the use and enjoyment a system of lands that comprise approximately groups, including families. and protection to areas on federal lands hunting, photography, off- Service, National Park Service, U.S. Work to engage youth in the stewardship of of present and future generations. The BLM 28 million acres of spectacular, primarily for the Future trail exploration, and many Forest Service, and U.S. Geological wilderness lands to nurture the next generation that are largely undeveloped, natural, and accomplishes this by managing such activities western landscapes recognized for their Wilderness provides clean water and air, critical others. Service developed “Keeping It Wild: The BLM wilderness management program’s six of wilderness managers and specialists. Reach out as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, ecological, cultural, historic, recreational, and habitat for animals, and healthy landscapes, unconstrained by human activity and that • Some wilderness includes An Interagency Strategy to Monitor Arizona Wilderness, Eagletail Mountains overarching priorities to guide its work from 2014 to Americans living in communities traditionally mineral development, and energy production scientific values. In addition to wilderness allowing rare and endangered species to thrive. provide outstanding opportunities for solitude sacred ancestral lands of Trends in Wilderness Character Across and beyond include: underserved in regards to their access to and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, lands, National Conservation Lands include American Indian tribes. • Wilderness areas on BLM public lands provide the National Wilderness Preservation knowledge of the value of protecting wilderness or recreation. and other resources on public lands. national monuments, national conservation • Wilderness showcases essential habitat for numerous wildlife and plant System.” The strategy outlines a unified 1. Ensure the protection of wilderness character. lands. Work with local partners to explore ways to areas, wild and scenic rivers, and national trails. to the world some of species. Some of these include golden eagles, approach to identifying trends in The Wilderness Act states that administering increase physical access and exposure to local wilderness character quality and agencies are “responsible for preserving the wilderness resources for underserved communities. The uniquely American idea of wilderness America’s most special prairie falcons, condors, and bobcats, as Wilderness lands consist of rugged mountain ranges, broad valleys, wild rivers and streams, and desert plains places and landscapes— well as cacti, bristlecone pine trees, and provides a standardized method to assess wilderness character.” The BLM will ensure that ensures long-term protection of natural and include vast natural landscapes, which once covered all of North America. Along with the BLM, wilderness forested mountains, alpine Joshua trees. broad-scale performance in preserving managers and staff adhere to this core direction 5. Train the next generation of wilderness landscapes. Wilderness protects the habitat lands are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. meadows, rock peaks wilderness character to be used by all of the act in development and implementation managers. above timberline, tundra, wilderness-managing agencies. of all management decisions within designated Continuing the legacy of sound wilderness of numerous wildlife species and serves as a Wilderness Study Areas Wilderness Study Wyoming Area, Town Adobe lava beds, deserts, wild wilderness. The BLM will provide tools management will require the BLM to expend biodiversity bank for many species of plants The BLM manages more than 520 WSAs located in WSAs. Since 1980, Congress has reviewed many of rivers, swamps, coastal In 2009, the BLM implemented this and training to employees while ensuring time and energy training the next generation of the western states and Alaska. To be designated a these areas and has designated some as wilderness Utah Area, Study Wilderness Canyon Creek Fish and animals. Wilderness is also a source of clean lands, and islands. strategy with a goal of completing accountability in meeting this core legal mandate wilderness managers and specialists. The BLM will WSA, an area must have the following characteristics: areas and released others for nonwilderness uses. baseline monitoring for 20 percent and associated agency policies. increase efforts to train managers and specialists water. It has long been used as a laboratory Until Congress makes a final determination on a Wilderness provides of BLM wilderness areas each year. at all levels of the organization in how to properly for science research and education outreach, Size – roadless areas of at least 5,000 acres of public WSA, the BLM manages these areas to preserve their economic benefits to local The protocol developed to monitor 2. Improve connection with partners. steward our wilderness heritage, including lands or of sufficient size as to make practicable suitability for designation as wilderness. and describe trends in the quality Internal and external cooperative work with designated wilderness, WSAs, and lands with providing sites for field trips, study areas for communities and the nation. its preservation. of wilderness character will enable partners will continue to build capacity and wilderness characteristics. student research, and serving as a source of Wilderness Study Areas by the Numbers • Protecting the environment and Naturalness – appears to have been affected the BLM to establish a meaningful increase the understanding of the relevancy providing rare opportunities for instructional examples. Recreation is another primarily by the forces of nature. STATE NUMBER OF ACREAGE measure with verified baseline data for of wilderness resources. The BLM will continue 6. Increase the role of science in wilderness UNITS wilderness experiences use in the future. Once this baseline to foster wilderness stewardship by better management. obvious appeal of wilderness, and wilderness Opportunities – provides outstanding opportunities Alaska 1 260,000 interest a wide national monitoring is complete, and for the connecting the broader wilderness network, both Sound management decisions rely on sound for solitude, natural sounds, dark night skies, or Arizona 2 63,930 areas are seeing steadily increasing use from first time since the Wilderness Act was domestic and international. science. Wilderness stewardship requires primitive and unconfined recreation, such as California 67 821,870 passed, the BLM will be able to track Area Arctic Management Central BLM photo Alaska, Area, Study Wilderness objective, scientific knowledge as an established people who wish to experience freedom from hiking, camping, canoeing, and horseback riding. Colorado 54 548,209 trends in wilderness character for all of 3. Raise awareness of the BLM’s wilderness lands. baseline that can be repeated over time to Idaho 44 655,512 the nation’s fast-paced, industrialized society. Special qualities – the areas often have ecological, its wilderness areas. Raise awareness of BLM wilderness lands so more establish and monitor trend. This will, in turn, help Montana 39 449,963 people understand and appreciate wilderness, its shape future management actions. The BLM will geological, educational, historical, scientific, and/ Nevada