Interior Order Weakens Wilderness Stewardship of up to 80% of National Park Service Lands

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a review of wilderness study areas and lands with wilderness characteristics across the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

The National Park Service is responsible for managing more wilderness acreage than any other public land agency, with tens of millions of acres managed for their wilderness qualities.

A 60-day public comment period on the proposed changes will follow.

Statement from Tiernan Sittenfeld, President and CEO of National Parks Conservation Association

“This administration’s order threatens to upend the bipartisan tradition of protecting wilderness areas at the highest level.

“Wilderness areas from Crater Lake to Glacier to the Great Smokies offer rare opportunities for solitude and the exceptional backcountry experiences that many of our national parks are prized for.  This did not happen by accident. Intentional, consistent, practices led by experts at the National Park Service have protected these iconic places for future generations. 

“More than 80% of Park Service land has wilderness characteristics and would be impacted by the call to weaken Directors Order 41.

“This review threatens to throw out conservation as we know it by upending 50 years of established wilderness stewardship in our national parks and public lands.

“NPCA will fight this rule at every step, along with everyone who cares for the future of these special places.“

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.