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Lands with Wilderness Characteristics

For an area to qualify as lands with wilderness characteristics, it must possess sufficient size, naturalness, and outstanding opportunities for either solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation. It may also possess supplemental values.

Section 201 of Federal Land Management Policy Act (FLPMA) requires the BLM to maintain, on a continuing basis, an inventory of all public lands and their resources and other values, which includes wilderness characteristics. It also provides that the preparation and maintenance of the inventory shall not, of itself, change or prevent change of the management or use of public lands. It does not address or affect policy related to Congressionally-designated Wilderness or existing Wilderness Study Areas.

The BLM will use the land use planning process to determine how to manage lands with wilderness characteristics as part of the BLM’s multiple-use mandate. The BLM will analyze the effects of :

  • Plan alternatives on lands with wilderness characteristics, and
  • Management of lands with wilderness characteristics on other resources and resource uses. 

Contact your local office for a recent state inventory of lands with wilderness characteristics.