National Conservation Areas
National Conservation Areas (NCAs) feature exceptional natural, recreational, cultural, wildlife, aquatic, archaeological, paleontological, historical, educational, and/or scientific resources. The Bureau of Land Management's National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) includes 16 NCAs and five similarly designated lands in ten states.
Why are National Conservation Areas designated?
NCAs are designated by Congress to conserve, protect, enhance, and manage public land areas for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. Unlike National Wilderness or National Wild and Scenic River designations, there is not a single Congressional Act that guides the management of National Conservation Areas. Instead, the particular Act which authorizes designation of each NCA identifies the unique values to be protected and any other specific management guidelines to be followed.
What National Conservation Areas are in Utah?
The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-11) designated the two NCAs in Utah. Both NCAs were designated, "to conserve, protect, and enhance …the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources” of public lands in the NCAs.
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