WSP09240

• File Number: 7630.290
• Description: Wild and Scenic - Great Sand Dunes National Monument
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 9/1/1972
• Author: National Park Servic
• Title: Wilderness Recommendation - Great Sand Dunes National Monument - Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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resources and to plan for visitor enjoyment of the values of the area.
The system serves, also, as a basis for recommending lands for
"wilderness" classification in accordance with the Wilderness Act and
provides a basis for making many other Master Plan judgments.

The land classification system to be used is similar to that proposed by
the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission and prescribed
for application to Federal lands by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation.
Under this system, lands may be segregated into anyone of six classes:

Class I-high density recreation areas; Class II-general
outdoor recreation areas; Class III-natural environment
areas; Class IV-outstanding natural areas; Class V-primitive
areas, including. but not limited to, those recommended for
designation under the Wilderness Act; and Class VI-historic
and cultural areas. Consistent with the Congressionally stated
purpose of national parks, a park contains lands falling into
three or more of these classes.

Classes I and II identify the lands reserved for visitor accommodations
(both existing and proposed), for administrative facilities, formal
campgrounds, two-way roads. etc., of varying intensities. Class I and II
lands occupy relatively little space in any of the national parks.

Class III identifies the "natural environment areas." As the name of the
category implies, these are "natural environment" lands. These lands
are important to the proper preservation, interpretation, and
management of the irreplaceable reSOurces of the National Park System.
These irreplaceable resources are identified in Class IV, V, and VI
categories of lands. It is the existence of unique features (Class IV), or
primitive lands, including wilderness (Class V), or historical or cultural
lands (Class VI) in combination with a suitable environment (Class III)
and with sufficient lands "for the accommodation of visitors" (Classes I
and II) that distinguish natural and historical areas of the National Park
System from other public lands providing outdoor recreation.

In the natural areas (national parks and national monuments of
scientific significance), Class III lands often provide the "transition" or
"setting" or "environment" or "buffer" between intensively developed
portions of the park or monument (Classes I and III AND (a) the
primitive or wilderness (Class V) areas; and (b) the unique natural
features (Class I V) or areas of historic or cultural significance (Class VI)
when these two categories exist outside of the Class V lands.

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