WT - Wilderness Working Group

WT WG Pages: Documents - Other Links

1. PURPOSE and BACKGROUND:

In 1995, wilderness managers from the California Desert agencies met to discuss ideas to created seamless wilderness management direction. The Wilderness Working Group agreed to focus attention on the development of a document that outlined interagency wilderness management Principles. This led to the development of the document titled "Principles for Wilderness Management in the California Desert". The document includes a general statement of agreement among the agencies on how wilderness will be managed. It also contains a series of annexes to the Principles. These annexes provide specific management direction. To date eight annexes have been approved by the DMG. These annexes address grazing, law enforcement and border operations, federal water rights, special scientific, recreational, and commercial uses, fire management, land exchanges, emergencies involving health and safety, and minimum requirements for administration. The Wilderness Working Group also focuses on wilderness training and workshops.

2. MISSION:

To provide consistent wilderness management direction for managing California desert wilderness and to share wilderness management information and skills among all participating agencies.

3. DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Brief the DMG on the working group's activities
• Coordinate with other DMG interagency working groups as appropriate to carry out their missions
• Develop annual work plan and budget for work group activities. Submission to DMG NLT July 1 for upcoming FY
• Assist in developing annual work plans and associated budgets by reviewing proposals to implement DMG initiatives
• As requested by the DMG, provide technical review of activities, projects, work plans, final reports and major products. Evaluate the effectiveness of these activities and report results to the DMG
• Assist in developing, implementing, and evaluating outreach programs for DMG efforts.
• Provide a forum for discussion and resolution of issues related to their mission
• Annually review and recommend for approval to the DMG updates to the DMG five year goals.