National Landscape Conservation System

NLCS Fact Sheet

  • The NLCS Mission is to conserve, protect and restore nationally significant landscapes recognized for their cultural, ecological and scientific values for the American public
  • The NLCS was established in 2000 by Interior Secretary Babbitt
  • The System contains more than 886 federally recognized units
  • It encompasses approximately 27 million acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Managements
  • The NLCS has five categories of federally designated areas:
    • National Monuments, National Conservation Area (NCAs) and similar designations 
       ‘Similar designations’ includes Cooperative Management and Protection Areas, Outstanding Natural Areas, and Forest Reserves
       
    • Wilderness
      This category includes Designated Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas
    • Wild and Scenic Rivers
    • National Trails
      This category includes National Scenic and Historic Trails 
      Conservation Lands of the California Desert

 

California Costal National Monument

Delta Wild and Scenic River, Alaska

The NLCS at a Glance

Category
Areas
Number
BLM Acres
BLM Miles
Monuments and NCAs
National Monuments
16
4,815,760
 
National Conservation Areas
16
4,112,798
Similar Designations
5
435,829
Wilderness
Wilderness Areas
222
8,662,214
Wilderness Study Areas
545
12,790,291
Wild and Scenic Rivers
67
1,164,014
2,419
Trails
National Historic Trails
10
 
5,342
National Scenic Trails
5
664
Totals
886
Approximately 27 million*
8,425

*Some NLCS units overlap.  Because of this, it is not possible to arrive at an acreage total for all NLCS units.  For example, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area contains Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, and Wild and Scenic Rivers.