July 27, 2005 – Conservationists applauded yesterday as the Senate passed four bills to protect hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness in the US and Puerto Rico. The multiple pieces of legislation were approved unanimously and enjoyed wide bipartisan support, both in the Senate and in the areas affected by the federal protection.
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One measure, the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, is designed to designate over 300,000 acres of land in California as wilderness area, some of which is home to threatened salmon species. The protected zone would include long tracts of coastal region as well as portions of the Black Butte River.
Under another bill, 106,000 acres in a Washington State national forest would be protected wilderness. The Wild Sky Wilderness Act seeks to preserve an area described by the Campaign for America’s Wilderness (CAW) as "a rugged landscape with thousand-foot cliffs, high alpine peaks, cascading waterfalls, lush old-growth forests, and crystal clear rivers." CAW is a national organization that works with local communities to gain federal protection of wild areas.
The Ojito Wilderness Act, another of the measures passed, would create the largest wilderness area to be designated in New Mexico in 18 years. It carves out for preservation over 11,000 acres, home to mule deer, antelope and elk. The area also encompasses Navajo and Pueblo Indian cultural sites. Under the bill, some of the area of historical importance to the people of the Zia Pueblo would be held in trust for them to purchase, but would guarantee continued public access to the lands.
The Senate also approved a measure to designate the nation’s first tropical wilderness area. The Caribbean National Forest Act would protect 10,000 acres in Puerto Rico, habitat of the severely endangered Puerto Rican parrot as well as seven other endangered species, according to CAW. The area also provides water to hundreds of thousands of people on the island.
None of the measures approved yesterday in the Senate has yet made it through the House of Representatives.
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The Wilderness Act of 1964, which gives Congress the authority to designate lands for protection, was created in order to preserve the nation’s wild areas for future public enjoyment and future generations. Commercial activities and motorized vehicles, in most cases, are prohibited on lands designated under the Act.
