By John Waters, Publisher

A political coalition between The Wilderness Society, Friends of Big Bend National Park, and the National Parks and Conservation Association has formed with the goal of having legislation introduced into Congress to establish over 500,000-acres of Big Bend National Park designated as a protected Wilderness Area.

The proposal for a Wilderness Area within this park is not new. When the idea of designating two-thirds of Big Bend National Park as wilderness was first proposed, then-President Richard Nixon said, “At a time when our Nation is seriously concerned with conserving our energy resources, it is also important that we protect another treasured national resource — our wilderness areas and the many varieties of plant and animal life which thrive uniquely in wilderness environments.”

President Nixon made the recommendation that Congress create a Big Bend Wilderness in 1973. Since that time, in Texas alone, the Texas Wilderness Act of 1984 was passed; 34,000 acres of National Forest land in Texas became wilderness; and, in 1978, the 46,850-acre Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness was created.

Yet, legislation needed to mandate the Big Bend Wilderness has never materialized.   

Under the Wilderness Act, areas proposed as designated wilderness “are treated as wilderness until Congress makes a final determination.” As such, the proposed wilderness in Big Bend is in legal limbo, though it has been managed as a wilderness since 1984 and will continue to be managed as such until Congress either designates it so and permanently establishes it as wilderness, or specifically removes it from consideration as wilderness.

“Wilderness” areas must be “untrammeled” by humans, and are places where  visitors and do not remain for prolonged periods of time nor build structures nor make most “improvements.” The area must  be undeveloped and retain its primeval character. Under these guidelines, Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village, for example, are not wilderness, since they are developed with visitor services and the visitors remain. Remote roadless areas such as the Dead Horse Mountains or the Mesa de Anguila, for example, could be designated wilderness because they are neither developed nor allow for permanent or long-term visits.

An additional attribute of a wilderness area is that it offer outstanding opportunities for solitude. The parks first superintendent Ross Maxwell captured the essence of Big Bend when he said “The harsh physically inhospitable arid Big Bend area either attracts and fascinates or utterly repels the visitor...if [he] lingers however, he learns that the higher mountains are a treasure...”

According to Park Superintendent Bill Wellman, an official designation as wilderness is something he supports. And, because the Big Bend lands proposed for designation are already managed as wilderness, “the effect visitors will see is nothing… If it goes forward I would be quite happy.”

Big Bend National Park Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialist Betty Alex is in the process of creating a newly detailed and technologically-accurate map of the wilderness holdings, should Congress need one, said Wellman.

Suzanne Dixon, of the National Parks Conservation Association, said the coalition is in the process of drafting a letter to Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, providing a list of supporting groups and individuals, who are asking Congressman Rodriguez to introduce legislation sponsoring making the Wilderness a reality. “The Designation is needed to protect the area as Wilderness, in perpetuity,” said Dixon.

The proponents of the wilderness proposal will need supporters.

According to a statement from Rodriguez’s press secretary: “At this time, Congressman Rodriguez isn’t actively pursuing a Wilderness Area designation, although he is aware that there are some who would like to see this designation come to pass. The Congressman’s priorities are aligned with what will allow for the greatest practical use by visitors and the general public. If the National Park Service and the community determine wilderness designation is what’s best for the park and its visitors, the Congressman will support that. But for now, the Congressman’s position is that Big Bend National Park belongs to the American people and we’d like to see it preserved in a way that is consistent with the public trust.”

Requests for comment from Senators Cornyn and Hutchinson were not returned.

Legislatively, wilderness proposals are often bundled into bills called “Omnibus Public Land Management Acts,” as was the case earlier this year, when in March, President Obama signed legislation designating over two million acres of wilderness.

During the signing ceremony for the Omnibus bill, President Obama made note of the lengthy journey some wilderness proposals take, noting one example in particular: “This bill will realize a vision 35 years in the making by protecting the wild back country of Rocky Mountain National Park.”

After the Rocky Mountain designation, Mayor Judy Burke of Grand Lake, Colorado, located just outside the Park’s western entrance, told the Wilderness Society: “The gateway communities to the Park have been pushing for the fulfillment of this vision for many years…Finally, the renowned backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park — which is so important to our local identity and economy — will be protected for future generations.”

The Rocky Mountain experience may portend well for Big Bend. According to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s press secretary, Kendra Barkoff, “The Secretary was a champion for wilderness in Rocky Mountain National Park when he was in the Senate, and was proud to get that bill over the finish line.

The local communities were supportive of that legislation, in large part because they saw wilderness protection as important to maintaining the park as an economic amenity for the region. In evaluating potential new wilderness areas, it is important to remember that the authority to designate wilderness resides with Congress.

Secretary Salazar also believes it is important that local communities and stakeholders have a strong voice in shaping the designations. Secretary Salazar has not yet visited Big Bend, but hopes to visit soon.”

During an appearance at the Alpine Airport on September 19, Congressman Rodriguez said he was proud to have brought Representative Nick Rahall, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, to the Big Bend. And Rodriguez added that was optimistic he might bring Interior Secretary Salazar to the region. Perhaps that day for Big Bend—and its Wilderness— may not be too far away.

(This document was created jointly by the Wilderness Society, Friends of Big Bend National Park, and the National Parks Conservation Association, May 2009.)

Question: Why designate wilderness within Big Bend National Park?

Answer: Wilderness designation ensures that an area’s natural resources and wilderness values are preserved in perpetuity.  Wilderness areas remain open to hiking, camping, fishing, and other forms of recreation, but are closed to development and motorized and mechanized vehicles.  This will help to ensure that the wonderful ecosystems of Big Bend are maintained in a natural state for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. 

Q: What parts of the park qualify for wilderness designation? 

A: The National Park Service has identified 533,900 acres in 13 separate units that qualify for wilderness within Big Bend.  These units contain all or part of the Chisos Mountains, Mesa de Anguila, Burro Mesa, the north part of Santa Elena Canyon, Pulliam Peak, Mariscal Mountain and the north side of Mariscal Canyon, Talley Mountain, Chilicotal Mountain, Boquillas Canyon, Sierra del Carmen Mountains, Paint Gap Hills, McKinney Hills, Slickrock Mountains, Little Christmas Mountains, and Maverick Mountains. 

Q: How does the National Park Service view wilderness in Big Bend? 

A: In 1974, the National Park Service surveyed the entire park and recommended 533,900 acres to be designated as wilderness.  In 1984, President Reagan’s administration completed an environmental review and proposed that these areas be designated as wilderness.  That recommendation was carried forward in the park’s 2004 management plan that still governs the park today.  The wilderness recommendation has spanned six separate presidential administrations over 35 years and is endorsed by current National Park Service leadership.

Q: How would current park use be affected by wilderness designation?

A: National Park Service regulations require that agency recommended wilderness be managed as wilderness.  Since 1984, the Park Service has managed the 533,900 acres of recommended wilderness within Big Bend as if it were wilderness.  Wilderness designation would not have any impact on current park uses, including driving on dirt roads, mountain biking, or visitor or staff facilities. 

Q: What activities are allowed in wilderness? 

A: Wilderness areas remain open to hiking, camping, horseback riding, and fishing—in short, all of the activities that are currently allowed in these areas would continue to be allowed if the areas were designated wilderness. 

Q: Which areas of the park are outside of recommended wilderness? 

A: All dirt and paved roads are excluded from recommended wilderness.  Also, other developed portions of the park, including the visitor’s center, visitor housing, park headquarters, Rio Grande Village, Panther Junction, and Chisos Basin are excluded from recommended wilderness.  Activities in these areas would not be affected by wilderness designation.

Q: Who supports designating wilderness in the park?

A: Current supporters include the National Parks Conservation Association, Friends of Big Bend, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and The Wilderness Society.  Other supporters will be added as the effort progresses.  When the Park Service unveiled its original recommendations in 1974, the agency noted after a public hearing that “the overwhelming sentiment was for more wilderness.”

For more information, contact Paul Spitler, The Wilderness Society, (202) 429-2672 or write: paul_spitler@tws.org.

Looking southeast from the South Rim of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park offers a view of a landscape mostly “untrammeled” by people. Preserving the wild, undeveloped quality of such places is the goal of wilderness designations. (Marlys Hersey, photo)