Colorado
Date: March 23, 2000
For Release: Immediate
For Additional Information Contact: Kay Hopkins, (970) 947-2812
BLM Releases Final Wilderness Inventory Findings for the Roan Plateau
The Bureau of Land Management has released the final findings of last summers roadless review and wilderness character inventory for the Roan Plateau, northwest of Rifle, Colorado.
Summary by unit:
Northeast Cliffs - The Northeast Cliffs unit does contain wilderness character on 5,799 of the 5,847 acres inventoried. The area appears to be natural, does have outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, and supplemental values. A small boundary adjustment and the addition of 5 vehicle ways were the only changes to the citizens’ team preliminary findings released in September of 1999.
East Fork - The East Fork unit does contain wilderness character on 8,330 acres of the 14,342 inventoried. The area appears to be natural, does have outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, and supplemental values.
Trapper Creek - The Trapper Creek unit does not contain wilderness character on the 11,373 acres inventoried. It does have outstanding opportunities for solitude, opportunities for primitive recreation and supplemental values. However, the areas that were predominately natural in character were significantly less than the 5,000 minimum acres in size.
The inventory information will be used when the Glenwood Springs Field Office initiates the planning process to update Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the area in October.
The inventory findings do not change the current land uses and activities on the Roan Plateau. However, until completion of the Roan Plateau RMP amendment, the areas found to have wilderness character in the inventory will be managed to prevent irreversible impacts to natural and supplemental values.
In areas found not to have wilderness character, the BLM will minimize the number new land use proposals and consider alternatives to address issues, until the planning process is completed.
In May, with the help of another citizen team , the BLM will inventory the fourth and final area along the southeast cliffs. After completion of the Southeast Cliff unit, all lands recently transferred from the Department of Energy will have been inventoried for wilderness characteristics as mandated by federal law.
Copies of the final findings of the roadless review and wilderness character inventory for the Northeast Cliffs unit, the Trapper Creek unit or the East Fork unit are available by contacting Kay Hopkins at (970) 947-2812. The inventory findings, along with maps and photographs, are also available through the links below. Also, contact Kay Hopkins if you are interested in the upcoming Southeast Cliffs inventory.
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