| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, (97 |
BLM Implementing Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Protections
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office has put gates up to block vehicle access to two routes in the newly designated Dominguez Canyon Wilderness.
Congress designated the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness in March of this year. Hiking and horseback riding are still allowed within the wilderness. According to law, motorized and mechanized vehicles are not allowed in designated wilderness areas; including vehicles, ATVs and mountain bikes.
To ensure compliance, BLM erected a gate on Long Mesa Road in the Wagon Park area, and constructed a gate at the wilderness boundary in Cactus Park. Both routes are one-way routes. Those found violating the law can be fined and can have their equipment confiscated.
“Congress has found that these areas contain resources that are important to protect, and these closures are necessary in order to meet that mandate,” said Grand Junction Field Manager Catherine Robertson. “The gates and signs we’ve put up will help the public know where the wilderness boundaries are. We appreciate the public’s help in protecting the resources within the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness.”
The BLM is planning to construct a new trailhead in the Cactus Park area about a mile from where the gate has been erected. The new trailhead, slated for construction in 2010, will include a parking area and restroom facilities.
The BLM has also identified a proposed new trail that will connect the new trailhead with the rim of Big Dominguez Canyon. The new trail will be a safe and sustainable hiking and equestrian trail providing access to the new wilderness.
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.
2815 H Rd Grand Junction, CO 81506