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BLM lands and the National Landscape Conservation System
The National Landscape Conservation System was established in 2000 to help highlight and protect some of the most prized BLM lands throughout the West.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers the majority of land in Eastern Oregon's desert, among them some of the most diverse, spectacular, and unprotected wild lands in the State. Steens Mountain stands out as the only BLM-managed Wilderness Area in Eastern Oregon. Other desert areas, such as the Oregon Badlands and Spring Basin, are now protected as Wilderness.
The National Landscape Conservation System was established in 2000 to help highlight and protect some of the most prized BLM lands throughout the West. These areas include National Monuments, such as the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southwest Oregon, and Wilderness Areas such as Steens Mountain. Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National and Historic Trails are also included in the System. By putting them in an organized system, the BLM hopes to increase awareness of the scientific, cultural, and ecological values of these special places. As population pressures increase, the National Landscape Conservation System hopes to help protect the historic and natural landscapes that characterize the West.
