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<br /> <br />III. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <br /> <br />The suitability or unsuitability of the Sangre de Cristo WSA <br />for wilderness is a function of the physical, social, and <br />economic environment within and surrounding the WSA. This <br />chapter describes the various environmental factors related to <br />this suitability determination. Chapter IV describes the <br />effects on the environment resulting from implementation of <br />the alternatives. <br /> <br />The material in this section relates primarily to National <br />Forest lands on the San Isabel and Rio Grande National Forests <br />with a summarization of material relating to the lands <br />administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The Bureau of <br />Land Management material is discussed in detail in the <br />Management Situation Analysis in the Appendix. <br /> <br />A. Resources <br /> <br />1. Wilderness Resource <br /> <br />a. <br /> <br />Wilderness <br /> <br />Attribute <br /> <br />Rating System <br /> <br />(WARS) <br /> <br />A Wilderness Attribute Rating System (WARS) was <br />developed for RARE II to provide an indication <br />of an area's potential for wilderness. The <br />ratings considered characteristics from the <br />1964 Wilderness Act and included natural <br />integri ty, apparent naturalness, opportunities <br />for solitude, and opportunities for a primitive <br />and unconfined recreation experience. In <br />addition, supplemental attributes including <br />ecological, geological, or other features of <br />scientific, education, scenic, or historical <br />value were considered. The possible rating <br />could be from 4 to 28. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />The attributes of natural integrity, apparent <br />naturalness, opportunities for solitude, and <br />primitive recreation all rated high. <br /> <br />The WSA has a moderate to high degree of <br />natural integrity based on absence of physical <br />developments and evidences of man. Screening <br />from outside influences and from other visitors <br />give a high rating in opportunity for solitude. <br />Opportunity for primitive recreation is also <br />high. <br /> <br />30 <br /> <br />r,r')6'~8 <br />~- \..1..... J <br />