Friends of Ironwood Forest

Over 850 federally recognized areas and approximately 27 million acres of National Conservation Areas, National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Historic and Scenic Trails create a web of protected wild lands across the American West.

 

The NLCS is uniquely diverse. It encompasses red-rock deserts and rugged ocean coastlines, deep river canyons and broad Alaskan tundra. Many areas are remote and wild but others are surprisingly accessible. The NLCS also reveals and protects our cultural legacy. It safeguards American Indian cliff dwellings and cultural sites, and preserves the remaining traces of our Nation’s historic trails and pathways. 

 

The NLCS works to conserve the essential fabric of the West. NLCS areas are part of an active, vibrant landscape where people live, work and play. They offer exceptional opportunities for recreation, solitude, wildlife viewing, exploring history, scientific research, and a wide range of traditional uses. 

 

The Conservation System Needs Our Help

The NLCS was created to conserve and restore nationally significant  landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations. Unfortunately many of these extraordinary places are being damaged by vandalism, reckless off-road vehicle use and neglect. With an average of one ranger for every 200,000 acres, currently there simply is not enough staff to protect these lands.  

 

Only Congress and the Bureau of Land Management can manage the Conservation System with the protections these lands merit. The Friends of Ironwood Forest are working with the National Conservation System Foundation and the Conservation System Alliance to ensure that the Conservation System is:

·     Permanently protected through a congressional stamp of approval

·     Adequately funded

·     Appropriately managed

·     Includes the best of BLM’s lands and waters

 

What can you do? Volunteer!

The BLM doesn’t have enough boots on the ground to do all of the things that need to be done to protect these special places. You can donate your time to help with trail maintenance, preservation of archeological sites, remove invasive species, preform landscape restoration or work as an interpretative ranger!

 

Talk to your policy makers about the Conservation System

Let your Congressional Representatives know that you support permanent protection for the NLCS.  If you don’t know who your Representative is find out here.