Tucson Field Office
| Contacts: | Jim Mahoney 520-439-6400 jmahoney@blm.gov | |||
| Diane Drobka 928-348-4403 ddrobka@blm.gov |
Wilderness Management Plan Approved
Tucson, Ariz. Today, October 31, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tucson Field Manager Brian Bellew signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Decision Record for the Final Wilderness Management Plan/Environmental Assessment for the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness and Coyote Mountains Wilderness in southeastern Arizona. The public now has 30 days, ending November 30, to appeal the BLM’s decision to approve the Plan.
The 2,065-acre Baboquivari Peak Wilderness and 5,080-acre Coyote Mountains Wilderness are located on public lands southwest of Tucson in Pima County.
Some of the specific actions included in the Plan are:
- Improve recognition of the wilderness boundaries.
- Eliminate vehicle intrusions in wilderness.
- Repair, maintain or remove allotment/pasture fences and/or range improvements.
- Inventory, evaluate and, when needed, mitigate abandoned mine features for human and ecological hazards as well as for habitat and historical/cultural values.
- Inventory and evaluate water resources.
- Coordinate with other agencies to achieve healthy land goals, including wildlife, habitat and desired vegetation goals.
- Use and manage fire.
- Monitor for and remove unwanted exotic or noxious plant or animal species.
- Coordinate with the Tohono O’odham Nation and other neighboring landowners and managers to assist in the development of educational and interpretive information.
- Develop information emphasizing border issues and safety, rock climbing rules and etiquette, access, and cultural resource protection.
A link to the plan is provided at http://on.doi.gov/RrmxlR. The document is also available on CD by calling the BLM Tucson Field Office at 520-258-7200. Questions can be directed to Mr. Jim Mahoney at 520-439-6400.
Appeals must be submitted in writing to Mr. Brian Bellew, BLM Tucson Field Office; 3201 E. Universal Way; Tucson, AZ 85756, or by email to bbellew@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.