More than 400,000 acres of public lands in Eastern Oregon are getting extra protections after a decision announced Friday by the Bureau of Land Management.
The bureau finalized an amendment that protects these sensitive areas, which are within a broader 4.6 million acres public lands management plan that covers Oregon’s Malheur, Grant, Harney and Baker counties, including the Owyhee Canyonlands.
Leslie Gulch will receive extra wilderness protections, along with other areas of Eastern Oregon, following a decision announced Friday by the Bureau of Land Management.
Amanda Peacher / OPB
The amendment requires the bureau to protect the wilderness characteristics of 417,190 acres, including many popular recreational sites, including Jordan Craters, Three Forks, Leslie Gulch and a tributary to the Owyhee River.
The decision limits off-highway vehicle use in certain areas, and provides some guidelines on livestock grazing. It also requires the BLM to prioritize the natural characteristics of these lands when considering projects that could change the landscape, like mineral extraction or renewable energy projects.
The use of off-highway vehicles will be limited to about 40,000 acres near Keeney Pass and Bully Creek Reservoir near Vale. About 16,000 acres will remain closed to vehicles.
The bureau pursued the amendment in response to court challenges from conservation groups, including the Oregon Natural Desert Association.
The nonprofit’s executive director, Ryan Houston, said the decision creates the largest protected area in a single BLM district.
“This reflects a conservation vision well-suited to this region known for its incredibly remote and wild landscapes,” Houston said in a statement.
ONDA is currently seeking additional protections for the Owyhee Canyonlands through a wilderness designation from Congress or a national monument designation from President Joe Biden.