Transcript Wilderness 101 New Mexico Wilderness Alliance Blue Range Wilderness What is Wilderness? • There are many ways to describe wilderness, but here are.

Wilderness 101
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
Blue Range Wilderness
What is Wilderness?
• There are many ways to describe wilderness, but here are some
common definitions of wilderness, from the Wilderness Act:
• ...lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural
condition...
• ...an area where the earth and its community of life are
untrammeled by man...
• ...an area of undeveloped federal land retaining its primeval
character and influence, without permanent improvement or
human habitation...
• ...generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces
of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially
unnoticeable...
• ...has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and
unconfined type of recreation…
• …shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreation, scenic,
scientific, educational, conservation and historic use...
Manzano Mountain Wilderness
The Wilderness Act
• On Sept. 3, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed
the Wilderness Act into law.
• The United States was the first country in the world to
define and designate wilderness areas through law.
• Wilderness Act author Howard Zahniser used the
word “untrammeled” to describe wilderness
• National Wilderness Preservation System now
includes 758 designated wilderness areas, totaling
109,511,038 acres in 44 states. This accounts for 4.5%
of all land in the U.S.
• Managing agencies: Bureau of Land Management,
National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and
Wildlife Service
Why Wilderness?
• Other designations such as “primitive areas”
provide temporary protection, but the
protection can be modified or removed by
the signature of an appointed administrative
official.
• Conservation areas and recreation areas lack
the statutory foundation of the Wilderness
Act to guide their permanence and integrity.
Wilderness in New Mexico
• New Mexico has 25 designated wilderness
areas, accounting for 1,653,461 total acres.
• The Gila Wilderness in New Mexico, was the
world’s first designated wilderness in 1924
• Last wilderness area protected in New Mexico
was Sabinoso Wilderness in 2009.
• The Wilderness Act 50th anniversary
conference was held in Albuquerque in
October 2014.
Recreation in Wilderness
Many recreational activities are permitted in
wilderness areas. A list of popular activities:
Photography
Bird watching
Hiking
Camping
Horseback riding
Hunting
Fishing
What’s Not Allowed in Wilderness
• Motorized vehicles of any kind
• Bicycles/mountain bikes and hang gliders are
also not allowed in wilderness (wheelchairs
may be used)
• Motorized equipment such as chainsaws
Pecos Wilderness
Wilderness and Water
• Many of New Mexico’s communities depend on water from the
rivers that start in the state’s wilderness areas. That is no
mistake—undisturbed ecosystems are known for producing clean
water.
• The Endangered American Wilderness Act, which designated a
variety of western wildernesses, states, "Congress finds and
declares that it is in the national interest that certain of these
endangered areas be promptly designated as wilderness...in order
to preserve such areas...for watershed preservation."
• Water is a precious resource, especially in often drought-stricken
New Mexico. Maintaining intact wild lands such as the Columbine
Hondo and Gila Wilderness help us keep our wild waters clean
and healthy, which benefits all New Mexicans.
Wilderness and Grazing
• Domestic livestock grazing is allowed in
wilderness. New construction such as fences
and spring developments are permissible
where needed to protect resources, but not
simply to increase livestock grazing numbers.
Economics of Wilderness
• Protected wild lands can help boost
local economies. Research has proven
that protecting areas such as the Rio
Grande del Norte National Monument,
designated in 2013, has helped boost
the local economy.
• Business leaders in the Taos area
near the 243,000-acre national
monument site released economic
data in March 2014 showing that, in
only 12 months, the monument has
drawn more visitors who have brought
increased spending and revenue with
them.
Wilderness and Wildlife
• Wilderness is habitat for plants and animals. One of the
major goals of the National Wilderness Preservation
System is to provide undeveloped habitats for threatened
or endangered species.
•New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is working to protect
habitat of the endangered Mexican gray wolf.
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
• Mission: The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance (NM
Wild) is a non-profit 501(C)(3), grassroots, environmental
organization dedicated to the protection, restoration, and
continued enjoyment of New Mexico’s wild lands and
Wilderness areas. The primary goal of the New Mexico
Wilderness Alliance is to ensure the protection and
restoration of all remaining wild lands in New Mexico
through administrative designations, federal Wilderness
designation, and ongoing stewardship.
• Founded in 1997, we are the only state-based grassroots
wilderness organization in New Mexico.
Otero Mesa, David Soules
NM Wild’s Successes
• Ojito Wilderness (2005)
• Sabinoso Wilderness (2009)
• Rio Grande del Norte National Monument
(2013)
• Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National
Monument (2014)
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, Mike Groves
How We Get There
• Staff in Mora, Las Cruces, Silver City, Santa Fe and
Albuquerque.
• Lead hikes and service projects to educate the
community about wilderness.
• Work with diverse constituents (elected officials,
businesses, pueblos, land grant communities,
ranchers and youth) to gain support for wilderness.
• Act as a watchdog to ensure the proper management
of New Mexico’s public lands, and litigate when
necessary.
• Conduct wilderness inventories.
Columbine Hondo Wilderness Study Area, Wild Earth Llama Adventures
Summary
• Wilderness can be defined as “an area where the
earth and its community of life are untrammeled by
man...”
• There are 25 protected wilderness areas in New
Mexico. The Gila Wilderness was the world’s first
designated wilderness.
• Recreation such as hunting, fishing, camping and
photography are allowed in wilderness.
• Wilderness protects wildlife, water, and culture in
New Mexico and contributes to the economy.
• More information: www.wilderness.net and
www.nmwild.org