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<br />Management Situation by Revision Topic <br /> <br />C. Current Situation and Pa6t Trend6 <br /> <br />Wildt'Jme66 Art'Ja6 <br /> <br />Portions of four wilderness areas are found on the RGNF. Collectively, the wilderness areas comprise <br />438,305 acres of the Rio Grande's total acreage of 1.8 million acres. The la Garita Wilderness was <br />established by the 196~ Wilderness Act. The Weminuche Wilderness was established in 1975 and <br />additional areas were added in the 1980 Colorado Wilderness Act. The South San Juan Wilderness was <br />designated by the 1980 Colorado Wildemess Act. On August 13, 1993, the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness <br />and Wheeler Geologic Area were designated into the Wilderness Preservation System. Figure 11I-12 is a <br />map of designated wilderness on the RGNF. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />The la Garita Wilderness is situated on the Cebolla District, Gunnison NF, and the Saguache District, <br />RGNF. It is 130,001 acres in size, with 54,581 acres of that being on the RGNF. A draft la Garita <br />wilderness implementation schedule (WIS) has been developed and is currently being reviewed. The <br />approved WIS will be incorporated by reference in the Forest Plan Revision DEIS. <br /> <br />The Weminuche Wilderness is situated on the Creede and Del Norte Districts, RGNF, and the Animas, <br />Pine, and pagosa Districts, San Juan NF. This wilderness is the largest in Region 2, comprising 463,700 <br />acres, of which 164,802 acres are on the RGNF. <br /> <br />The South San Juan Wilderness is situated on the Conejos Peak District, RGNF, and the pagosa District, <br />San Juan NF. This wilderness area comprises 127,600 acres of which 88,921 acres are on the RGNF. The <br />South San Juan WIS is out for public review with implementation expected during the 1994 field <br />season. Once approved the WIS will be incorporated by reference in the Forest Plan Revision DEIS. <br /> <br />Public law 96-560 (1980 CO,lorado Wilderness Bill) recognized two areas on the RGNF that should be <br />studied for inclusion into the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). In the early 1980's these <br />studies were completed as part of the Forest Plan process on the PikelSan Isabel NF (Sangre de Cristo <br />WSA) and the RGNF (Wheeler Geologic WSA). The Sangre de Cristo WSA was recommended for <br />inclusion into the NWPS. The Wheeler Geologic WSA was recommended to be managed for semi- <br />primitive nonmotorized opportunities except for designated trail corridors (motorized routes) with the <br />Geologic Area managed as a Special Interest Area. <br /> <br />On August 13, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Colorado Wilderness Act designating approximately <br />611,730 acres as wilderness. Included in the Colorado Wilderness Act was the designation ofthe Sangre <br />de Cristo's (approximately 226.455 acres total) as wilderness situated on the Conejos Peak and Saguache <br />Districts, RGNF; the Salida and San Carlos Districts, PikelSan Isabel NF; and the Canon City District, Bureau <br />of land Management. The Wheeler Geologic Area was included as an addition to the la Garita <br />Wilderness that is situated on the Creede District, RGNF. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />(',,2453 <br /> <br />111-40 <br /> <br />c <br />