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002351 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY From the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, Colorado has been a leader in protection of its wild lands. That reputation is tarnished now, as a proposal to protect Colorado wilderness has languished in the Congress for over four years. It is a reason- able proposal, free, generally, of conflicts over boundaries, minerals, water projects and other commercial uses of the lands it encompasses. 1989 marks the 25th anniversary of offers us a chance to celebrate the Act, state's history of conservation leadership best, most deserving of our remaining ourselves and to our children. the Wilderness Act, It keep faith with our own and protect some of the wild lands -- a gift to ln that spirit, the Colorado conservation community is proud to present its 1989 wilderness proposal. Wilderness is one of our most important natural resources. It provides critical habitat for wildlife, protects precious watershed, offers unmatched recreational opportunities, and permits scientific study in a pristine environment. Congressionally protected wilderness represents a dramatic and thoughtful recognition of our state's frontier history at the same time that it symbolizes a rational and sensitive approach to our future. ' In 1980, Congress passed the Colorado National Forest Wilderness Act, designating 1.4 million acres of Forest Service lands as wilderness. These lands were part of the second Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE II). A number of RARE II areas endorsed for wilderness by the Forest Service were designated by Congress as Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs); several others were left in Further Planning Area (FPA) status for future Congres- sional action, The Forest Service completed its studies of these potential wilderness areas and made its final recommendations public several years ago, The Colorado Conservationists' Wilderness Proposal of 1989 contains 1.2 million acres, which is 1.8 percent of the land base in Colorado. It is a proposal of diversity, including high alpine areas and lower-lying, pristine forests which are not now fully represented in the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). It includes lesser known, remote places and some more popular areas within a two-hour drive of the two million inhabitants of the Front Range cities. lt recommends for designation a single area with six 14,OOO-foot peaks, as well as one with the largest contiguous alpine tundra landscape in the Lower 48. The proposal offers simple additions to existing Wilderness Areas, and also takes in segments of entire mountain ranges. While it embraces mostly Forest Service lands, it includes some Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas. 1