Off Road Vehicles (ORVs)

ORV use causes ecologically destructive soil erosion, destroys riparian habitat, and threatens wildlife. Once an area is degraded by off-road vehicles, it is less likely to be considered for Wilderness designation. There are literally hundreds of thousands of miles of routes in the National Forest and BLM lands that provide off-road vehicle access for all. There ought to be some places where wildlife and people can get away from the noise, pollution, and environmental degradation of these machines. Wilderness protection and roadless land protection will set aside those few areas that still provide intact habitat for our wildlife and opportunities for human solitude.

Grazing

The Wilderness Act of 1964 allows grazing in most Wilderness areas;  however, poor grazing management practices by the agencies and operators can destroy Wilderness values including the "natural character" of the land. Agency managers and leaders must be held accountable for practices that violate agency policies and regulations and that degrade mandated Wilderness values. Wilderness designation for public grazing lands can have advantages for livestock operators. For example, activities that degrade rangelands, such as development and motorized recreation.  ensures that the area is managed to maintain its natural character and prohibits development and motorized recreation in Wilderness areas. Restricting motorized use will decrease, if not eliminate problems such as vandalism and theft of rangeland developments, harassment and theft of livestock, gates left open, littering, indiscriminate dumping and soil erosion caused by vehicle use.

Mining

Mining is a destructive practice which can leave our landscape scared and polluted. With mining comes roads, open pits, and toxic drainage which can pollute the water of our pristine wildlands. Mining laws are outdated, fail to protect our public lands, and don't hold companies responsible for the damage they create. Wilderness designation precludes mining and preserves the Wilderness character of our wildlands.

Oil and Gas Development

The development of oil and gas brings a host of impacts to our wildlands. Not only are well pads, storage tanks and derricks erected in otherwise pristine areas, but roads, powerlines and pipelines are also constructed to service the well. These developments disturb wildlife habitat and may pollute the water and soil. Our nation can meet its energy needs without drilling in Wilderness--quality lands. As with mining, oil and gas development is not allowed in designated Wilderness areas.

Logging

Logging destroys wildlife habitat, contaminates streams with silt, and prevents people from enjoying wild areas. Roads constructed into the forests for logging operations fragment wildlife habitat and often prevent an area from being considered for permanent protection. Logging is prohibited in designated Wilderness areas.

Chaining

Chaining is a process that involves dragging an enormous anchor chain between two bulldozers to rip out all of the woody plant life between them. This is done to promote the growth of feed for cattle at the expense of the native plants and wildlife. Chaining is prohibited in designated Wilderness areas.