Outdoor industry leaders hailed an order issued by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar Thursday that will ensure the Bureau of Land Management considers the value of protecting backcountry areas used for recreation when determining how to manage its vast land holdings.
Secretarial Order 3310 directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), based on the input of the public and local communities through its existing land management planning process, to designate appropriate areas with wilderness characteristics under its jurisdiction as “Wild Lands” and to manage them to protect their wilderness values.
“Americans love the wild places where they hunt, fish, hike, and get away from it all, and they expect these lands to be protected wisely on their behalf,” Salazar said at a press conference held outside REI’s Denver store. “This policy ensures that the lands of the American public are protected for current and future generations to come.”
