Bureau of Land Management:Identifying Land with

Wilderness Characteristics

By: Heather Evans

What is Wilderness?

Wilderness Act 1964• Land untrammeled by man, where man is a

visitor and does not remain• Generally affected by the forces of nature• Outstanding opportunity for solitude• Has at least 5,000 acres of contiguous land

with said features

-Wilderness.net

What are Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Managed by The

BLM?

Human Influence

•Substantially natural, with no signs of human influence:

Recreation• Land must provide ample opportunity for

solitude and primitive recreation:

No sights, sounds, or human destruction

Supplemental Size

Areas must have at least 5,000 acres of contiguous land without roads

Road or Route

Was the route initially constructed?Has the route received mechanical maintenance?Does it receive regular and continuous use?

Supplemental value?

Evidence of human use?

Supplemental Values

• Cultural sites • Historic sites

Are these significant impacts to naturalness?

Old vehicle bodyCommunication

site

How does GIS Contribute?

Determine BLM Administered Lands

USFS Acreage: 15,070 Acres

State Acreage:3,380 Acres

Private Acreage750 Acres

Exclude Lands not

Administered By BLM

USFS Roadless Areas administered

under three categories:

1B: Road const & re-const

prohibited.

1B-1: Admin endorsed for

wilderness mgt

1-C Temp Road const & re-const is

allowed.

Aerial Photography identify possible intrusions

Review the area using

aerial photography

1

1

1

1: Vegetation Manipulation 22

2

2: Vehicle route

Reviewing aerial photos provides an overview of potential intrusions and other uses in the area such as stock ponds or mining activity.

My Map

• Layers: Rich County, BLM, Roads

• Measuring Tool: Road width averages

• Buffer: road layer• Creation of New

Layers/Attribute fields

• Exploded: 5,000 contiguous acres

What I Found

• 269 County, State, and Private roads in Rich County

• 8 polygons with at least 5,000 contiguous acres

• BLM officials must do field work to inventory found polygons

Thank You

• Scott Festin

• West Desert District BLM GIS Specialists and Recreation Planners

• Utah GIS Portal