What is a Wilderness Study Area?

A quick note: We are not experts about laws, policies, or politics, and much of this information was synthesized from websites we found about Montana's Wilderness Study Ares. We will include sources at the bottom of this post.

In 1977, the United States Congress passed the Montana Wilderness Study Act. Senator Lee Metcalf introduced the bill. When passed, the law directed the U.S. Forest Service to study 7 areas administered by the U.S. Forest Service within Montana, totaling over 700,000 acres for inclusion in the Wilderness Preservation System. The act directed the Wilderness Study Areas to be studied by the Forest Service within 5 years of the legislation becoming law, and then send their recommendations to Congress. The law also directed that the study areas remain Wilderness Study Areas until either designated or released by another act of Congress. The Montana Wilderness Study Act also directed the Forest Service to manage these areas to preserve what Wilderness Character they possessed in 1977.

The Lewis and Clark National Forest delivered a report to Congress in 1982 (fact check this) about The Middle Fork Judith and Big Snowy Wilderness Study Areas. These areas were not recommended for wilderness at that time. There have been several bills introduced and even passed that would have released the Middle Fork Judith WSA, but they either did not pass Congress or were vetoed. These bills were usually part of a larger package that would have designated some acres of wilderness in the state and released Wilderness Study Areas.

It is the opinion of our group that the future discussions for the Middle Fork Judith incorporate local input and input from those who hunt, fish, and recreate in the Middle Fork.