In 1891, Congress authorized the President to reserve existing public forestlands to protect and preserve the lands and resources. Acceptable levels and locations of various uses are determined with public involvement in a land management planning process. Congress has also designated specific national forest areas to emphasize particular resources or values. Congress continues to consider legislation to designate specific national forest areas for particular purposes. For example, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 ( P.L. 111-11 ) designated 20 new national forest wilderness areas, added lands to 20 existing national forest wilderness areas, designated at least nine wild and scenic rivers through national forests, designated two new national scenic areas and one new national recreation area in national forests, and designated seven other areas in national forests with special management provisions. Congress expanded theses goals in the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (MUSYA). As part of its special area designations for some NFS lands, Congress has established two systems of special management areas, with general guidance that applies to all such designated areas: the National Wilderness Preservation System and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Specifically, the act states:
Except as specifically provided for in this Act, and subject to existing private rights, there shall be no commercial enterprise and no permanent road within any wilderness area designated by this Act and, except as necessary to meet minimum requirements for the administration of the area for the purpose of this Act (including measures required in emergencies involving the health and safety of persons within the area), there shall be no temporary road, no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within any such area. These areas differ from the two standardized systems (wilderness and wild and scenic river corridors) in having neither general authorizing legislation for the type of designation nor general management direction for all such areas. The common provisions can be grouped into administrative provisions and resource management provisions. Findings. Purpose. Management Plan. Many SMA statutes provide for an advisory committee or group for the designated area. Withdrawal. Many of the statutes also explicitly allow hunting and fishing, and sometimes trapping, consistent with state law. Inholder Access. Authorization of Appropriations. Less Common Resource Management Provisions

In addition to administrative provisions, several of the statutes designating SMAs have included additional provisions governing natural resource management within the SMA. Motorized Access. Wildfire, Insect, and Disease Control. Some SMA statutes explicitly allow activities to control fires, insects, and diseases. Livestock Grazing. Military Overflights. Water Use/Water Rights. Individual Congressionally Designated Areas in the National Forest System

This appendix lists the 97 specially designated individual areas, grouped into six major types of designations: national monuments; recreation areas; scenic areas; game refuges; protection areas; and other. §505(b)—has no effect on state responsibility and authority for fish and wildlife. §10—authorizes appropriations. §6—authorizes land acquisition. §7—directs management "in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the national forests, for public outdoor recreation in a manner compatible with the following objectives": "(1) the maintenance and protection of the free-flowing nature of the rivers"; "(2) conservation of the scenic, wilderness, cultural, scientific, and other values contributing to the public benefit"; "(3) preservation ... of all features and peculiarities believed to be biologically unique including, but not limited to, rare and endemic plant species, rare combinations of aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric habitats, and the rare combinations of outstanding and diverse ecosystems and parts of ecosystems associated therewith"; "(4) protection and maintenance of fish and wildlife habitat"; "(5) protection of archeological and paleontological sites and interpretation of these sites for the public benefit and knowledge insofar as it is compatible with protection"; "(6) preservation and restoration of historic sites associated with and typifying the economic and social history of the region and the American West; and" "(7) such management, utilization, and disposal of natural resources ... including, but not limited to, timber harvesting by selective cutting, mining, and grazing and the continuation of such existing uses and developments as are compatible with the provisions of this Act." §4(c)—requires "an overall management plan," in consultation with state and local governments and interested persons. 11. 26. (c)—prohibits buffer zones. (5)—withdraws the areas from public land, mining, and mineral leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights. 37 . Has no effect on state jurisdiction or responsibilities.
In 1891, Congress authorized the President to reserve public forests to protect the lands and resources. The many presidential proclamations and subsequent land purchases have led to the current National Forest System. These lands are managed to balance the many purposes and values through an interdisciplinary planning process, with public involvement, under the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of 1960 and the National Forest Management Act of 1976.
Congress has also designated many specific national forest areas to emphasize particular values or resources, and continues to consider legislation to designate additional specially managed areas within the national forests. Congress has established two land management systems for which statutory guidelines generally apply to all areas in the system. The National Wilderness Preservation System has many units, with general management guidelines: no permanent roads or structures; no commercial enterprises; and no motorized or mechanical access. However, the 1964 Wilderness Act that created the Wilderness System and many subsequent wilderness statutes have also included numerous exceptions to these standards for specific areas. The other system is the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, with general management direction for the corridors identified along designated rivers.
In addition, Congress has designated at least 96 individual areas within the National Forest System, and continues to consider more such designations. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, for example, designated 10 individual special areas among its many provisions. While many of the designations are unique, the areas can generally be grouped into six categories: national monuments (5, plus one administrative designation); recreation areas (26); scenic areas (11); game refuges (6); protection areas (37); and other (11).
While the statutes designating these 96 areas differ, many provisions are found in multiple statutes. Common administrative provisions include findings of the importance and uniqueness of the area; purposes for administration of the area; designation of the area, often with references to maps and boundaries; applicable law, with most making the provisions supplemental to the management guidance for national forests generally; a management plan for the area; an advisory committee for the area or the plan; authorization of land acquisition; and withdrawal of the area from the public land laws. Less common administrative provisions include requiring regulations for the area; explicitly allowing inholder access; prohibiting buffer zones around the area; retaining most state and local governance provisions; and authorizing appropriations.
There are also three common resource management provisions in the many statutes designating special areas: withdrawal of the area from mining and mineral leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights; timber harvesting restrictions, often with exemptions for fire, insect, or disease control; and fish and wildlife management, generally preserving state responsibilities and jurisdiction, allowing fishing and hunting, and authorizing area or period closures for various purposes, in consultation with state officials. Less common resource management provisions include limitations on motorized access; authority for fire, insect, and disease control actions; permission to continue livestock grazing; authority for low-level military overflights; and directions on water use and water rights.