Wilderness Areas
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for 223 Wilderness Areas with over 8.7 million acres in 10 Western States (3 percent of BLM's total acreage in the coterminous United States). Wilderness areas are special places where the earth and its community of life are essentially undisturbed. They retain a primeval character, without permanent improvements and generally appear to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature.
In 1964, Congress established the National Wilderness Preservation System and designated the first Wilderness Areas in passing the Wilderness Act. The uniquely American idea of wilderness has become an increasingly significant tool to ensure long-term protection of natural landscapes. Wilderness protects the habitat of numerous wildlife species and serves as a biodiversity bank for many species of plants and animals. Wilderness is also a source of clean water. It has long been used for science and education as well as for higher education purposes, providing sites for field trips, study areas for student research, and serving as a source of instructional examples. Recreation is another obvious appeal of wilderness, and wilderness areas are seeing steadily increasing use from people who wish to experience freedom from the Nation’s fast-paced industrialized society.
Detail Table - Wilderness (PDF)
On September 3, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act. This landmark law established the National Wilderness Preservation System to protect forever these great vestiges of our country's natural landscapes for the use and benefit of the American people. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, and national and community events are planned throughout the year to commemorate the passage and legacy of wilderness preservation. Go to wilderness50th.org or contact your local BLM office for a list of events in your area.
To download the new Wilderness 50th brochure/map, please click here:
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