FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS

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CLOSING RECOMMENDED WILDERNESS WITHIN NPS UNITS TO MOUNTAIN BIKE USE

Under the Wilderness Act, agencies such as the National Park Service have been required to examine their holdings and make recommendations, forwarded to Congress, with respect to the areas within their units that ought to be statutorily designated as wilderness.

More than 5.5 million acres within the NPS system, that have been recommended for wilderness status in this fashion, are awaiting Congressional action.  It is understood that agencies that make such recommendations are to manage these areas as wilderness while awaiting Congressional action.

However, the Bush administration's National Park Service director has concluded an agreement with the Mountain Biking Association that permits mountain bikes to use such proposed wilderness areas.  The Wilderness Act not only prohibits motor vehicles but also other forms of mechanical transport, such as mountain bikes.

The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs deplores this action and urges the Park Service to reverse this decision so that the integrity of these areas is maintained against mechanical and vehicular use.

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