Wilderness Act of 1964

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The Wilderness Act of 1964 is a landmark U.S. environmental law that created the National Wilderness Preservation System to permanently protect designated federal lands in their natural, undeveloped state.


Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal law
environmental law
administeredBy U.S. Bureau of Land Management
surface form: Bureau of Land Management

National Park Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
allowsException certain activities such as fire control and insect control when necessary
grazing where established prior to designation
some mining activities under preexisting rights for a limited period
appliesTo U.S. National Forest
surface form: National Forest System lands

United States National Park System
surface form: National Park System lands

National Wildlife Refuge System lands
federal public lands
public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management
codifiedIn Title 16 of the United States Code
country United States of America
surface form: United States
created National Wilderness Preservation System
dateSigned 1964-09-03
defines legal definition of wilderness in the United States
definitionOfWilderness an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain
effectiveDate 1964-09-03
enactedBy 88th United States Congress
heritageStatus considered a cornerstone of U.S. environmental legislation
influenced subsequent U.S. wilderness designation laws
initiallyDesignatedArea 9.1 million acres of wilderness
initiallyDesignatedUnits 54 wilderness areas
inspiredBy American wilderness preservation movement
jurisdiction United States government
surface form: United States federal government
language English
legislativeHistory introduced in Congress multiple times before passage in 1964
longTitle Wilderness Act of 1964 self-linksurface differs
surface form: An Act to establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people, and for other purposes
principalAuthor Howard Zahniser
prohibits commercial enterprises in designated wilderness areas
mechanical transport in designated wilderness areas
motor vehicles in designated wilderness areas
motorized equipment in designated wilderness areas
permanent roads in designated wilderness areas
structures and installations in designated wilderness areas
publicLawNumber Public Law 88-577
purpose to establish a National Wilderness Preservation System
to protect designated federal lands in their natural condition
to secure for the American people an enduring resource of wilderness
requires Congressional designation of new wilderness areas
section Section 2(c) defines wilderness
Section 3 establishes the National Wilderness Preservation System
shortTitle Wilderness Act of 1964 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Wilderness Act
signedBy Lyndon B. Johnson
subjectMatter public lands management
wilderness preservation
supportedBy Sierra Club
The Wilderness Society

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Bull of the Woods Wilderness governingLaw Wilderness Act of 1964
Great Society hasPart Wilderness Act of 1964
National Wilderness Preservation System legalBasis Wilderness Act of 1964
Wilderness Act of 1964 longTitle Wilderness Act of 1964 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: An Act to establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people, and for other purposes
88th United States Congress passed Wilderness Act of 1964
this entity surface form: Wilderness Act
Wilderness Act of 1964 shortTitle Wilderness Act of 1964 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Wilderness Act