As part of the land use planning process for the Uncompahgre RMP, the BLM assessed public lands within the Uncompahgre Planning Area to determine whether wilderness characteristics are present outside of designated wilderness, existing wilderness study areas, and the congressionally-designated Tabeguache Area. The BLM reviewed original 1980 wilderness inventories, as well as lands proposed by BLM staff and the public, in order to identify lands with potential wilderness characteristics. Of the six areas identified through the review, five were found to possess wilderness characteristics. The 2011 update was conducted in response to BLM Instruction Memorandum 2011-154: Requirement to Conduct and Maintain Inventory Information for Wilderness Characteristics and to Consider Lands with Wilderness Characteristics in Land Use Plans. |