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National Landscape Conservation System

NLCS Fact Sheet

  • The NLCS Mission is to conserve, protect and restore nationally significant landscapes recognized for their cultural, ecological and scientific values for the American public

  • The NLCS was established in 2000 by Interior Secretary Babbitt

  • The System contains more than 850 federally recognized units

  • It encompasses approximately 27 million acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Managements

  • The NLCS has four categories of federally designated areas:


    • National Monuments, National Conservation Area (NCAs) and similar designations 
       ‘Similar designations’ includes National Recreation Areas, Cooperative Management and Protection Areas, Outstanding Natural Areas, and Forest Reserves
       
    • Wilderness
      This category includes Designated Wilderness and Wilderness  Study Areas

    • Wild and Scenic Rivers

    • National Trails
      This category includes National Historic Trails and National Scenic Trails

California Costal National Monument

Delta Wild and Scenic River, Alaska

The NLCS at a Glance

Category
Areas
Number
BLM Acres
BLM Miles
Monuments and NCAs
National Monuments
15
4,808,374
 
National Conservation Areas
13
14,000,551
Similar Designations
6
1,434,531
Wilderness
Wilderness Areas
190
7,733,310
Wilderness Study Areas
585
13,804,292
Wild and Scenic Rivers
38
1,002,756
2,052
Trails
National Historic Trails
10
 
5,342
National Scenic Trails
3
624
Totals
860
Approximately 27 million*
8,018

*Some NLCS units overlap.  Because of this, it is not possible to arrive at an acreage total for all NLCS units.  For example, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area contains Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, and Wild and Scenic Rivers. 

   
Last updated: 02-11-2009