Wilderness study area

A wilderness study area (WSA) contains undeveloped United States federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, and managed to preserve its natural conditions. In spite of this, WSAs are not included in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Map of BLM Wilderness Study Areas.

Slinkard BLM Wilderness Study Area, California

Sutton Mountain BLM Wilderness Study Area, Oregon

On Bureau of Land Management lands, a WSA is a roadless area that has been inventoried (but not designated by Congress) and found to have wilderness characteristics as described in Section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and Section 2(c) of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Wilderness Study Area characteristics:

• Size – roadless areas of at least 5,000 acres (20 km²) of public lands or of a manageable size;
• Naturalness – generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature rather than human activity;
• Opportunities – provides outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined types of recreation.[1]

BLM manages wilderness study areas under the National Landscape Conservation System to protect their value as wilderness until Congress decides whether to designate them as wilderness. Wilderness bills often include so-called "release language" that eliminates WSAs not selected for wilderness designation.

Some WSAs are managed in exactly the same manner as "wilderness areas", a specific government designation and not synonymous with the natural state of "wilderness. Some areas permit activities that are generally excluded from wildernesses, such as mountain biking and off-roading.

There are 545 BLM wilderness study areas with a total area of 12,790,291 acres (51,760.47 km²).[2]