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33-677: The Manzano Mountain Wilderness area was created in 1978 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System . Manzano means " apple " in Spanish . The region received the name when early Spanish settlers discovered ancient apple trees growing a few miles east of the present-day wilderness. The apple trees were, according to legend, planted by Spanish missionaries to the Pueblo Indians in

66-639: A state by state basis and determines which areas and how much land in each area will become part of the WPS. There have been multiple occasions in which Congress designated more federal land than had been recommended by the nominating agency. Where as the Wilderness Act stipulated that a wilderness area must be "administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness",

99-471: Is a forest dominated by ponderosa pine . At the lowest elevations of the wilderness are pinyon pine - juniper woodlands and grasslands. Bigtooth maple trees are found in several canyons. They put on an impressive show of autumn color in October, especially near Fourth of July campground adjacent to the northern part of the wilderness. Small springs and streams are found in several of the canyons, but water

132-549: Is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions". As of 2023 , 806 wilderness areas have been designated, totaling 111,889,002 acres (45,279,873 ha; 452,798.73 km ; 174,826.566 sq mi), which comprise about 4.5% of the land area of the United States . During the 1950s and 1960s, as the American transportation system was on the rise, concern for clean air and water quality began to grow. A conservation movement began to take place with

165-479: Is scarce during dry periods. Animals found in the Manzano are typical of New Mexico: mule deer , elk , black bear , pronghorn , wild turkey , and mountain lion . The wilderness is an important raptor migration corridor which attracts bird watchers and raptor monitors during migration seasons. Forest fires are frequent in the Manzano mountains. In 2007 and 2008 more than 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) burned in

198-664: Is under federal ownership and management, (2) the area consists of at least five thousand acres of land, (3) human influence is "substantially unnoticeable," (4) there are opportunities for solitude and recreation, and (5) the area possesses "ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value." Wilderness areas are subject to specific management restrictions; human activities are limited to non-motorized recreation (such as backpacking , camping , hunting , fishing , horseback riding, etc.), scientific research , and other non-invasive activities. During these activities, patrons are asked to abide by

231-591: The Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1975, which added 16 national forest areas to the NWPS, allowed for the inclusion of areas that had been severely modified by human interference. The Wilderness Act provides criteria for lands being considered for wilderness designation. Though there are some exceptions, the following conditions must be present for an area to be included in the NWPS: (1) the land

264-623: The Leave No Trace policy. This policy sets guidelines for using the wilderness responsibly and leaving the area as it was before usage. These guidelines include: Packing all trash out of the wilderness, using a stove as opposed to a fire, camping at least 200 feet (61 m) from trails or water sources, staying on marked trails, and keeping group size small. When closely observed, the Leave No Trace ethos ensures that wilderness areas remain untainted by human interaction. In general,

297-562: The National Park Service , the U.S. Forest Service , the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , and the Bureau of Land Management . The term wilderness is defined as "an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain" and "an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which

330-664: The Pelican Island Wilderness in northern Florida , which measures just 6 acres (2.4 ha) total. The smallest area preserved in the system was formerly the Rocks and Islands Wilderness in Northern California at 5 acres (2.0 ha), but after a reassessment by the Bureau of Land Management in 2006 it was officially expanded to 19 acres (7.7 ha). On November 7, 2009, an agreement between

363-502: The 17th century. U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles. Camping and fishing are allowed with proper permit, but no roads, buildings, logging, or mining are permitted. Wilderness areas within National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas allow hunting in season. Manzano Mountain Wilderness is about 17 miles (28 km) long and 3–5 miles (5–8 km) wide, covering both

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396-857: The Forest Service's Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE) process. The Bureau of Land Management was not required to review its lands for inclusion in the NWPS until after October 21, 1976, when the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 was signed into law; designation of wilderness areas on BLM lands began in 1978. Over 200 wilderness areas have been created within Bureau of Land Management administered lands since then, consisting of approximately 8.71 million acres (3,520,000 ha) in September 2015. As of August 2008, 704 separate wilderness areas, encompassing 107,514,938 acres (43,509,752 ha), had become part of

429-521: The NWPS included 34 areas protecting 9.1 million acres (37,000 km ) in the national forests. As of 2023, there are 806 areas in the NWPS, preserving 111,889,002 acres (45,279,873 ha). This is approximately 4.5% of the entire United States , though only about 2.7% of the 48 contiguous states. However, most of that acreage is located in a handful of states. The states with the highest number of wildernesses are California , Arizona , Nevada , Alaska , and Oregon . However, when measured in acres

462-747: The NWPS, much of the wildlife in the U.S. also has an area in which to exist without significant human interaction. In late 2011, a full wilderness review was requested of the Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain in Alaska. One of the major qualifications for this area to be considered as a possible wilderness area was its diverse wildlife population, many of which are on the endangered species list. In this potential wilderness area alone, whales , seals , wolves , polar bears , grizzly bears , muskoxen , caribou , and over 200 species of migratory birds call this one area home for at least part of

495-579: The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service review all federal lands under their jurisdiction for wilderness areas to include in the NWPS. The first national forest wilderness areas were established by the Wilderness Act itself. The Great Swamp in New Jersey became the first National Wildlife Refuge with formally designated wilderness in 1968. Wilderness areas in national parks followed, beginning with

528-724: The National Wilderness Preservation System. On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 . The legislation designated an additional 2 million acres (810,000 ha) in nine states as wilderness, representing the largest expansion of wilderness lands since 1994. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 added another 1.3 million acres (530,000 ha) in 43 new and expanded wilderness areas. On federal lands in

561-1000: The United States' land area, an area larger than the state of California . About 52% of the wilderness area is in Alaska , with 57,425,569 acres (89,727.452 sq mi; 232,393.03 km ) of wilderness. They are located in 44 states (excepting Connecticut , Delaware , Iowa , Kansas , Maryland , and Rhode Island ) and Puerto Rico . The NPS has oversight of 43,890,500 acres (68,578.9 sq mi; 177,619 km ) of wilderness at 61 locations. The USFS oversees 36,160,078 acres (56,500.122 sq mi; 146,334.64 km ) of wilderness areas in 447 areas. The FWS has responsibility for 20,702,350 acres (32,347.42 sq mi; 83,779.4 km ) in 71 areas. BLM oversees 8,726,011 acres (13,634.392 sq mi; 35,312.91 km ) at 224 sites. Some wilderness areas are managed by multiple agencies. Some areas are designated wilderness by state or tribal governments . These are not governed by

594-464: The United States, Congress may designate an area as wilderness under the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management , the National Park Service , the Fish and Wildlife Service , and the U.S. Forest Service , are responsible for the submission of new areas that fit the criteria to become wilderness to Congress. Congress then reviews these cases on

627-532: The United States, Canada, and Mexico entitled the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Wilderness Conservation" was made. This agreement created a new entity, the North American Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation for Wilderness and Protected Areas Conservation, that would streamline the process for open communication between international agencies for the purpose of wilderness preservation. This committee

660-666: The designation of wilderness in part of Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho in 1970. A dramatic spike in acreage added to the wilderness system in 1980 was due in large part to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act , signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on December 2, 1980. A smaller spike in 1984 came with the passage of many bills establishing national forest wilderness areas identified by

693-638: The eastern and western slopes of the Manzano Mountains which run north-south. The crest of the mountains in the wilderness varies from elevations of 8,200 feet (2,500 m) to 10,098 feet (3,078 m). The Manzano mountains appear low and unimpressive from a distance but up close are rugged, with deep canyons radiating off the crest. The higher elevations of the Manzano wilderness, above about 8,500 feet (2,600 m), support an aspen and spruce - fir forest. Below that, at elevations of 6,500 feet (2,000 m) to 8,500 feet (2,600 m) feet

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726-592: The exact nature of protection may differ from federal laws. Some U.S. states have created wilderness preservation programs modeled on the NWPS. List of wilderness areas of the United States The National Wilderness Preservation System includes 806 wilderness areas protecting 111,889,002 acres (174,826.566 sq mi; 452,798.73 km ) of federal land as of 2023 . They are managed by four agencies: These wilderness areas cover about 4.5% of

759-431: The foothills. National Wilderness Preservation System The National Wilderness Preservation System ( NWPS ) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness areas are managed by four federal land management agencies:

792-536: The future of both the U.S. system and North American preservation efforts as a whole. One of the major goals of the Wilderness Preservation System is to provide undeveloped habitats for threatened or endangered species . Many of the species found in the United States are represented in wilderness areas. There are 261 basic ecosystems in the U.S., and 157 of them are represented in the system. With 60% of all ecosystems somewhat protected by

825-411: The intent of establishing designated wilderness areas. Howard Zahniser created the first draft of the Wilderness Act in 1956. It took nine years and 65 rewrites before the Wilderness Act was finally passed in 1964. The Wilderness Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-577), which established the NWPS, was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964. The Wilderness Act mandated that

858-598: The largest amount of wilderness land is administered by the National Park Service. The largest contiguous wilderness complex in the United States is the Noatak and Gates of the Arctic Wildernesses in Alaska at 12,743,329 acres (5,157,042 ha). The largest wilderness area outside Alaska is the Death Valley Wilderness in southeastern California. The smallest area protected by the WPS is

891-438: The law prohibits logging , mining , motorized or mechanized vehicles (including bicycles ), road-building, and other forms of development in wilderness areas, though pre-existing mining claims and grazing ranges are permitted through grandfather clauses in the Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas fall into IUCN protected area management category Ia (strict nature preserves) or Ib (wilderness areas). A special exemption to

924-572: The list changes dramatically, as Alaska contains many of the largest areas protected under the act. In terms of total acres, Alaska , California , Arizona , Idaho , and Washington are the top five states for wilderness, containing almost 80 percent of the acreage in the system. Wilderness totals in most eastern states are modest, with the exceptions of Florida and Minnesota . Wilderness areas exist in every state except Connecticut , Delaware , Iowa , Kansas , Maryland , and Rhode Island . Most U.S. wilderness areas are in national forests, but

957-480: The rule against mechanized equipment is made for wilderness areas in Alaska : limited use of motorized vehicles and construction of cabins and aquaculture are permitted. These exemptions were allowed due to the large amount of wilderness in Alaska and the concerns of subsistence users, including Alaska Natives . Wilderness areas are parts of national parks , wildlife refuges , national forests , and BLM lands; some units are managed by different agencies. Initially,

990-653: The top of Manzano Peak. The rocky summit has excellent views in all directions. Near the eastern part of the wilderness is Manzano Mountains State Park and the impressive ruins of Quarai in the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument . Quarai was a Pueblo village and the site of a Franciscan Mission station and church in the 17th century. Both the State Park and the National Monument have short trails exploring

1023-421: The wilderness and adjacent areas. Sixty-four miles (104 km) of trails are found in the wilderness. The 22 mile (35 km) Crest Trail runs the length of Manzano and is accessed by many shorter trails climbing up canyons from both the east and west side of the mountains. Several trails originating near Fourth of July Campground give access to groves of bigtooth maples. A seven-mile round-trip hike leads to

Manzano Mountain Wilderness - Misplaced Pages Continue

1056-524: The year. This vast assortment of flora and fauna is a major consideration for addition into the wilderness preservation system. Thousands of laws and policies have helped shape and manage the National Wilderness Preservation System in the United States. The following Acts of Congress either directly affect the wilderness system or help influence wilderness management: Some state and tribal governments also designate wilderness areas under their own authority and local laws. These are not federal areas, and

1089-403: Was formed to gain insight on the benefits of wilderness preservation, establish open channels of communication between international agencies, and examine the cultural differences and similarities behind preservation efforts in each country. Within the U.S. system, all of the agencies responsible for wilderness preservation will work in cooperation with their international counterparts to determine

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