Cheyenne
River Valley Grasslands Heritage Wilderness Proposal
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the South Dakota Grasslands Wilderness Coalition?
The South Dakota Grasslands Wilderness Coalition is comprised of sportsmen,
ranchers, conservationists, Native American tribes, and local business
owners who would like to see a small piece of South Dakota’s prairie
grasslands preserved in its wild state for generations to come.
What is the Coalition’s “wilderness proposal”?
To achieve this goal, the Coalition has developed a proposal to designate
over 70,000 acres of existing Forest Service land in southwestern South
Dakota as wilderness. The wilderness would consist of four non-contiguous
areas: Indian Creek, Red Shirt, Cheyenne River and First Black Canyon.
Designation of wilderness requires an act of Congress. The Bush Administration,
in its 2002 management plan for the Northern Great Plains region, recommended
wilderness for two of the areas (Indian Creek and Red Shirt) included
in the Coalition’s proposal.
What exactly is wilderness?
The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines designated Wilderness as “land
retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements
or human habitation, …which generally appears to have been affected
primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially
unnoticeable…" Wilderness can only be designated by an act
of Congress and can be established only on federal lands. These lands
are typically managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service,
the Bureau of Land Management, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
What land uses are permitted in wilderness?
Hunting, established grazing, fishing, hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking,
swimming, mineral activity on claims established prior to designation,
bird watching, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, rockclimbing,
caving and ecological research are permitted.
How are motorized and mechanized access restricted in wilderness?
The Wilderness Act prohibits use of motorized/mechanized equipment and
general access by motor vehicles and mechanical transport such as mountain
bikes. However, the law makes exceptions for situations such as search
and rescue operations, fire fighting to protect adjacent private lands,
and insect and disease control. Grazing permittees are allowed to use
motorized vehicles to rescue livestock, and the occasional use of motorized
equipment is allowed to fix fences and maintain springs and livestock
dams. Additionally, private inholders are guaranteed reasonable access
to their land.
A grasslands wilderness in southwestern South Dakota would represent
only 0.15 percent of South Dakota’s total land mass. Hundreds of
thousands of acres would still be open to all types of motorized recreation.
How is grazing impacted by wilderness designation?
Domestic livestock grazing, where established prior to wilderness designation,
shall be permitted in wilderness. Maintenance of fences, livestock dams
and springs is allowed, along with the occasional use of motorized equipment
in accordance with the 1980 Congressional Grazing Guidelines.
Does wilderness designation prohibit rock collecting?
Wilderness designation does not curtail rockhounds’ ability to remove
rocks from the wilderness area for personal use. However, commercial use
and selling of rocks collected within wilderness is not allowed, as the
Wilderness Act expressly prohibits commercial enterprises within wilderness
boundaries (with exceptions for outfitter and guide services).
Are private property rights adversely impacted by wilderness
designation?
No. Wilderness designation will not adversely affect private property.
Wilderness designations apply only to federally owned lands. If you own
property outside the wilderness boundary (even land near or adjacent to
the federal Wilderness), wilderness designation does not infringe on your
ability to use or develop your land. In fact, studies show that property
values go up in areas near protected federal lands and rivers.
If you own land completely inside the designated wilderness area (often
called an “inholding”), management restrictions for wilderness
areas do not apply to private land. Additionally, private property owners
are assured adequate access to their land, and that may include permission
to drive through a portion of the wilderness area to get to their land.
The federal government may only acquire an inholding if the owner is a
willing seller.
Would the risk of uncontrolled fire, disease, or insects be greater
in wilderness?
No. The Wilderness Act allows for flexibility to deal with catastrophic
wildfires should they occur. Section 4(d)(1) of the Act states that "such
measures may be taken as necessary in the control of fires, insects and
diseases" within wilderness. House Report language for the Endangered
American Wilderness Act further clarifies that actions to address fire,
insect outbreaks, and disease in wilderness areas include, ‘‘the
use of motorized equipment, the building of fire roads, fire towers, fire
breaks, or fire pre-suppression facilities where necessary and other techniques
for fire control. In short, anything necessary for the protection of public
health and safety is clearly permissible.’’
Under an approved Wilderness Management Plan, some wildfires may be allowed
to burn, and some prescribed burning (to prevent large-scale wildfires)
may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, by restricting
the construction of new roads, wilderness may help prevent human-caused
fires.
Would wilderness interfere with our ability to stop the spread
of invasive species?
While the Wilderness Act does not specifically address the issue, both
the U.S. Forest Service Manual and Bureau of Land Management regulations
permit measures to control noxious weeds and non-native invasive plants
when they threaten lands outside wilderness or when they are spreading
within the wilderness, provided it is possible to effect control without
causing serious adverse impacts on wilderness values.
How would wilderness affect prairie dog management?
Wilderness designation should not affect the authority of the U.S. Forest
Service and the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department to address
the prairie dog issue. All wildlife in South Dakota, including prairie
dogs, is owned by the State of South Dakota, even in wilderness. Wildlife
is cooperatively managed on U.S. Forest Service lands through a Memorandum
of Understanding and mutual planning efforts. The Wilderness Act assures
that state wildlife management responsibilities continue. Currently, the
State of South Dakota is developing a prairie dog management plan so that
it can better manage these animals on both public and private lands. The
State’s completion of this plan will clarify management methods
for prairie dog populations in the future. In addition, the Forest Service
has informed the State that it will adopt the goals and objectives noted
in that plan.
How does wilderness designation impact disabled individuals?
Those with disabilities may use wheelchairs within Wilderness. The Americans
With Disabilities Act of 1990 reaffirmed that nothing in the Wilderness
Act should be construed as prohibiting the use of a wheelchair in a wilderness
area, although agencies are not required to provide special wheelchair
access. A 1992 report by the National Council on Disability found that
a “significant majority of persons with disabilities surveyed very
much enjoy the [National Wilderness Preservation System], and 76 percent
do not believe that the restrictions on mechanized use stated in the Wilderness
Act diminish their ability to enjoy wilderness."
Does South Dakota already have any wilderness areas?
Two federally designated wilderness areas exist in South Dakota. The Black
Elk Wilderness Area was designated in 1980, comprising 13,426 acres within
the Black Hills National Forest, managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The
Badlands Wilderness Area, established in 1976, includes 64,144 acres located
within Badlands National Park, managed by the National Park Service. These
two wilderness areas equal only 0.16% of South Dakota’s total land
mass.
Is the grasslands ecosystem currently represented within the
National Wilderness Preservation System?
No. The National Wilderness Preservation System does not include any national
grassland areas. Designation of recommended areas in the Buffalo Gap National
Grasslands in South Dakota would be the first grasslands wilderness in
the nation.
Why is official wilderness designation necessary? Aren’t
National Grasslands in South Dakota protected already?
Wilderness designation would provide portions of the Buffalo Gap National
Grasslands with lasting protection from development and ecological degradation
due to uses such as motorized recreation. While there are existing prohibitions
on motorized recreation in certain parts of the Grasslands, these prohibitions
are regulatory in nature and could be withdrawn at any time.
What benefits would wilderness designation offer the people of
South Dakota?
From an economic standpoint, wilderness designation would benefit adjacent
communities. Businesses and individuals are increasingly looking to locate
in areas that provide significant outdoor recreation opportunities, open
space and scenic vistas. Also, having the nation’s first grasslands
wilderness would complement South Dakota’s marketing as a tourist
destination and a hunting paradise.
From an ecological standpoint, wilderness can help safeguard air quality,
watersheds, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, open space and natural ecological
processes. Once an area is designated as wilderness, existing human scars—like
old mines and roads—can be mitigated and the landscape restored
to its natural character.
What are the current threats to the proposed wilderness areas
in South Dakota?
Increasing population numbers, paired with the increasing popularity of
off-highway vehicles (OHVs) as a hobby is a growing threat to the preservation
of South Dakota’s wild places. Erosion and noise are two major problems
associated with OHV use. It makes sense to protect special areas now,
before more damage occurs, rather than after the fact.
How would prohibitions and protections within designated wilderness
areas be enforced?
Wilderness designation invariably brings more agency resources to the
area. Additionally, wilderness legislation often includes authorization
of specific enforcement funding. Such funding might be used for appropriate
signage, educational materials, ecological monitoring and/or additional
law enforcement.
What specific uses are currently allowed or not allowed in the
proposed wilderness areas. How would these uses change?
Most recreational uses are now permitted under current Forest Service
management plans for the Indian Creek, Red Shirt, Cheyenne River and First
Black Canyon areas of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Since 1979,
motorized vehicles have not been permitted in the Indian Creek area, with
the exception of the two-track road that bisects the region. Under wilderness
designation, all areas would be off-limits to motorized and mechanized
recreational uses.
Existing grazing would continue within wilderness. Grazing permittees
would be allowed to use motorized vehicles and equipment to rescue livestock,
fix fences, and maintain springs and livestock dams. Rock collecting for
personal use would continue to be allowed.
Is the South Dakota Grasslands Wilderness Coalition promoting
wilderness designation for additional areas in the state?
No. The Coalition is presently working only to designate four grassland
areas in southwestern South Dakota that total approximately 71,000 acres.
Does wilderness designation curtail the public’s opportunity
to be involved in wilderness management decisions?
No. While there are certain statutorily mandated land use principles the
appropriate federal agency must adhere to in managing wilderness areas
under its jurisdiction, agency officials are expected to establish management
plans for each unique wilderness area. A wilderness management plan is
often developed as part of the broader forest management planning process,
which includes a strong public involvement component. Wilderness planning
must also comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which
allows for significant public comment.
For more information, contact:
Marcia Argust, Campaign for America’s Wilderness, 202-266-0434
Chris Hesla, South Dakota Wildlife Federation, 605-222-1002
Heather Morijah, Sierra Club, 605-342-2244
Cheryl Warren, South Dakota Grasslands Wilderness Coalition, 605-673-3281
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