Draft Land Management Components

Recommended Wilderness and Wilderness Study Area Desired Conditions

1. Recommended wilderness management areas maintain the wilderness characteristics they were evaluated to possess at the time of recommendation until their designation as wilderness or other use is determined by Congress.

2. Recommended wilderness management areas are valued by the public for the ecosystem services they provide, including contributing to clean air and water, enhancing wildlife habitat, providing primitive recreation and solitude opportunities, and other wilderness characteristics.

3. Recommended wilderness management areas represent environments that are essentially unmodified and natural landscapes. Constructed features exist when they are necessary for administration of the area as a recommended wilderness management area or for the protection of resources.

4. Natural processes (insects, disease, blowdown, wildfires) function within their natural ecological role or are mimicked (using prescribed fire).

5. Recommended wilderness management areas provide recreation opportunities where social encounters are infrequent and occur only with individuals or small groups so that there are opportunities for solitude. Visitors experience self-reliance, challenge, and risk while enjoying freedom to pursue nonmotorized and nonmechanized activities.

6. Livestock grazing management continues to contribute to the long-term socioeconomic diversity and stability of local communities and cultural identity tied to a recommended wilderness management area.

7. Wildland fires function or mimic their natural ecological role.

 Recommended Wilderness and Wilderness Study Area Standards

1. Insect and disease infestations shall be allowed to run their natural course except where they unacceptably threaten wilderness characteristics.

2. Nonnative invasive species shall be treated using methods, and in a manner, consistent with wilderness characteristics. Exceptions would include situations where nonnative invasive species unacceptably threaten wilderness characteristics (for example, feral hog control or control of large nonnative invasive plant infestations).

3. The following activities are not allowed in recommended wilderness management areas:

• No new permanent roads, motorized trails, or mechanized (mountain bike) trails for public access shall be constructed in or designated in recommended wilderness management areas.

• Mechanical vegetation management (such as mastication) is prohibited in recommended wilderness management areas unless treatment is needed to protect wilderness character.

• New energy developments, authorizations, or leases shall not be permitted.

• Sales or extraction of common variety minerals shall not be authorized.

Recommended Wilderness and Wilderness Study Area Guidelines

1. Activities in recommended wilderness management areas should maintain the wilderness characteristics until Congress acts on the recommended area, either designating it as wilderness or releasing it for other management.

2. Intervention in natural processes through management activities should only occur where this would move the area towards desired conditions, enhance or preserve wilderness characteristics, protect public health and safety within and adjacent to the recommended wilderness management area, or uphold other federal laws and regulations.

3. Unplanned and planned wildland fire ignitions should be allowed to reduce the risks and consequences of uncharacteristic wildfire and to increase apparent naturalness or to enhance ecosystem function.

4. Mechanized uses for management activities (including chainsaws and wheelbarrows) should be allowed in recommended wilderness areas if they are needed to preserve, protect, or enhance wilderness characteristics of the area.

5. Recommended wilderness areas should be managed to preserve a very high scenic integrity objective as defined in the Scenery Management System.

6. Recommended wilderness areas should be managed for primitive recreation opportunity spectrum classes.

7. Existing structures necessary for administration of the area should be maintained but not expanded to protect the area’s wilderness characteristics. Maintenance of existing structures should be carried out in a manner that does not expand the evidence of installations, motor vehicle use, and mechanized equipment use beyond current conditions.

8. Competitive events should not be permitted in recommended wilderness areas to maintain wilderness characteristics of solitude and primitive and unconfined recreation.

9. Motorized access should be allowed for administrative purposes on existing roads and trails including for search and rescue operations, livestock management, State of New Mexico game and fish operations, and Lincoln National Forest administration (such as wildland fire management).

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For more information on the project or to be added to the mailing list, please contact Diane Prather at (575-649-9405) or diane.prather@usda.gov.