Worm
Creek Wilderness
The Study Area
The Worm
acres
of
Forest
The
Service
WSAs
terrain
feet
of
Creek
Worm
Creek
WSA
dense
supports
basins
is
available
was
1989
recommendation
stand
under
of
this
Section
alternatives
report
of
the
Plan Amendments
Two
state
and
202
and
willow
small
and
to
and
south
southwest
Several
brushland
at
and
Douglas-fir
sides
Elevation
peaks
and serviceberry
of
and
ranges
from 6500
peaks on
the higher
lodgepole
Suitable
lands
private
the
pine
mix
for
on
feet
main
are
the east
to
ridge
7200
near
The lower
elevations
habitat
WSA
40 acre
Understory
WSA
The
Idaho
Montpelier
the square
and
north
The
feet
the
WSA
moister
species
deer elk and
includes
40
U.S
the
generally
Table
see
surrounding
exceed
northern
include
variety of birds
9000
portion
mountain
and
small
tract
of
the Federal
Environmental
were
miles
Boundaries of
hillsides
steep
mountain
ecotype
aspen
15
County
inholdings
on the west
to
steep
snowberry
throughout
studied
and
tree-dominated
pinegrass
grape
Proposed
September
or
Wilderness proposal
elevation
high
Bear
in
located
private
topography varies from benchland
area
mammals
40 acres
is
no
are
Vegetation varies from
the
Draft
ID-37-77
There
contains
maple Oregon
The
WSA
land
public
--
Study Area
analyzed
no wilderness
in
Land
Policy
and
Impact Statement
the
EIS
the
alternative
757
Management Act
for
proposed
FLPMA
Small Wilderness Study
action
all
wilderness
and
Areas
was
included
Statewide
alternative
which
in
filed
is
the
in
the
Recommendation and
40
Rationale
recommended
acres
for
wilderness
recommended
acres
for
nonwilderness
The recommendation
Worm
Service
alternative
as
land within
it
the
of
would
The
not
conflict
traveler
the
cause
the entire 40
USDA
the
least
with
values
adjacent
feeling
other
of
present
naturalness
U.S
of gradual
Forest
for wilderness
or
wilderness
solitude
into
WSA
as
and
Forest
is
is
make
considered
on
the
Worm
manageable
U.S
16000-acre
be the environmentally
The
entire
Creek
boundary
40 acre
Proposal
of the area
configuration
logical
the adjacent
to
term
the long
shown
The
be possible
Forest
preferable
area
of federal
map
complements
the adjacent
Wilderness management
uses
primitive
The
and
with
conjunction
This
environment over
would
future
proposal
more
would
in
wilderness
designation
and
proposal
anticipated
Service
entrance
acre
Caribou National
from the natural
change
recommended
is
1985
Worm Creek WSA as
Worm Creek Wilderness
the
wilderness
enhance
proposal
would
WSA
to designate
of the
Manageability
boundary
is
Creek
40
recreation
acre
remote territory
758
would
parcel
be available
lends
itself
as
with
an
this
excellent
recommendation
transition
zone
and
would
giving
the
13
14
14
15
Table
Land Status and Acreage
--
Summary
of the
Study Area
WORM CREKWSA
Wilderness
Within
BLM
surface
Split
Estate
40
and subsurface
BLM
surface
state
Inholdings
Study Area
only
private
40
Total
Within
BLM
BLM
Boundary
40
Estate
within
Estate
outside
BLM
Wilderness
WSA
outside
Split
for
Recommended
WSA
within
Split
Total
the
Land
WSA
WSA
Recommended
Wilderness
40
private
Inholdings
state
State
outside
land
WSA
Within
the Area
Not
Recommended
for
Wilderness
BLM
Split
Estate
Total
BLM
for
Inholdings
Appendix
lis
Land
Not
Recommended
Wilderness
detailed
state
description
private
of
inholdings
and/or
split
760
tracts
included
within
the
study
Considered
Criteria
Wilderness
Recommendations
the Wilderness
in Developing
Characteristics
Naturalness
The Work
and
land
WSA
Creek
The
grasses
steep
foothill
character
of
is
natural
Impacts to the natural
on
traffic
infrequent
the
environment
this
appearance
area
Road
Creek
Bloomington
are
and
and
rich
supports
with
blends
landscape
of the
which
the high
quality
or unnoticeable
nonexistent
forest
complex
scenic
of
as
vegetation
Views
outside
well
U.S
the adjacent
the
area
as
sagebrush
Service
Forest
include
nearby farms
Solitude
for solitude
Opportunities
U.S
Forest
Service
The
WSA
small
would
Forest
The
fl
WSA
small
the area
lacks
dependent
on
the wilderness
proposal
is
are
moderate
to
little
into
because
distances
of the
the
for
solitude
adjacent
moderate
from the perimeter
opportunities
in
this
of primitive
the
tract
within
size
the
to
Worm
high
center
Creek
Wilderness proposal
topographic
of the
the wilderness
and
The
moderate
area
proposal
Recreation
for primitive
projecting
are
are
for
moderate
recreation
analysis
opportunities
facilities
40 acre
and Unconfined
Service
corridors
The
contribute
for primitive
Opportunities
small
solitude
and
screening
Primitive
The U.S
this
of
for solitude
opportunities
vegetative
The
in
analysis
small
parcel
recreation
recreation
are
are
dependent
opportunities
moderate
area high topographic
because
and
on
the adjacent
of
the
Worm
Creek
Wilderness
proposal
is
moderate
moderate
vegetative
area
screening
size
and
many road
because
limited
present
would
significant
contribute
natural
little
to
features
the
that
opportunities
for
would
recreationists
attract
primitive
recreation
within
the
proposed
wilderness
because
Special Features
The Worm
Creek
WSA
does not possess
features
that
are
any more
761
significant
than
found
on
other
lands within
the
region
Diversity
in the
Assessing
National
the
Diversity
and Features
Wilderness
Preservation
other
BLM
of
designation
System
areas
in
as
state
of Natural
Represented
the
NWPS
the
Wilderness
Worm
This
under
Creek
System
Systems
by Ecosystems
WSA
ecosystem
study
Preservation
with
is
would
add
an ecosystem
by 18
represented
this
designated
This
ecosystem
presently
areas
information
is
represented
with
in
the
summarized
in
Wilderness
National
1349971 acres
There
are
Table
TABLE
Ecosystem Representation
NWPS
Bailey-Kuchler
Areas
areas
classification
Rocky Mountain
acres
Other
areas
BLM
Studies
acres
Forest
Province
NATIONWIDE
Douglas-Fir
Forest
18
Ecosystem
1349971
26152
IDAHO
Douglas-Fir
Forest
19
Ecosystem
762
173228
four
Expanding
Within
WSA
acreage
parcel
size
designated
would
and
not
limited
is
within
and
or Primitive Recreation
Time five hours of Major Population
Driving
areas
expand
for Solitude
Opportunities
Days
The Worm Creek
of
the
five-hour
other
BLM
for
opportunities
drive
study
two major population
of
areas
and
solitude
within
five-hour
centers
drive
recreation
primitive
for
of
the
Centers
Table
the
two
summarizes
population
population
the
centers
centers
because
opportunities
Table
Wilderness
of
Opportunities
Major Population
NWPS
Population
Boise
Centers
Idaho/Salt
Lake
City
for
Residents
Centers
Areas
Other
areas
acres
16
4741570
areas
141
Utah
Salt
Lake
City Utah
and
vicinity
includes
other
cities
of
Provo
763
Ore and
Ogden Utah
BLM
number
This 40
Studies
acres
5374250
and
acre
of
its
small
WSA
The Worm Creek
Preservation
was
proposal
would
could
It
System
and
designated
not
contribute
make
only
to balancing
small
40 acre
the
of Wilderness
Distribution
the Geographic
Balancing
was
tract
the
contribution
geographic distribution
the
if
of the
part
Areas
U.S
adjacent
of areas
Forest
within
the
Worm
Service
National
Creek
Wilderness
Wilderness
wilderness
designated
Manageability
The Worm
WSA
Creek
Wilderness proposal
ensuring
and
Energy
Mineral
Mines
for the
The
1985
The Worm
location
units
and
gas
sheets
Oil
and
the
U.S
Impacts
The
gas
on
following
including
cover
Service
it
if
only
U.S
the adjacent
management and
wilderness
WSA
Creek
the high
in
of
of
the
Thrusts
the
prepared by the U.S
were
these
Forest
Worm
Service
uses
incompatible
be
could
Creek
eliminated
are
also
four
miles
southwest
area
for discoveries
Belt extends
to
thought
of
in
the
underlie
the
in
Survey
the
to
at
area
Belt
depth
gas
Belt The
1984
and
the
Bureau
known
7500
feet
through
depths
to
did
because
primarily
Paris-Willard
direction
greater
are
of
and
oil
north-south
in
Overthrust
WSA
of
Overthrust
Utah-Idaho-Wyoming
Ovthrust
Geological
not
the
penetrate
its
Thrust
the
area
Stratigraphic
underlie
of
area
any
The
rock
An
oil
thrust
encounter any hydrocarbons
the entire
1982
area
mineral
of
the
reports
nearby national
classify
forest
the area
lands
as having
and
high
public
potential
lands within
for
oil
and
the
WSA
Because
gas
Resources
comparative impact table
designation
of
reports
potential
major producers farther east
drilled
nor did
leases
Forest
are
well
values
lies
portion
Meade
and
which
wilderness
western edge
the
untested
Crawford
between
summary from
is
WSA
Creek
along
relatively
Conflicts
Worm
following
as wilderness
effectively
Values
Resource
assessments
in
of
preservation
Minerals
managed
designated
is
long-term
be
could
or nondesignation
summarizes
of
the entire
the
effects
area
as
on
pertinent
wilderness
764
resources
for
all
the
alternatives
considered
of
this
Table
Comparative
Summary
WSA
RESOURCE TOPICS
Impacts
on
WORM CREEK
PROPOSED ACTION
WILDERNESS
USFS Worm
Creek
Roadless
Area
areas
Roadless
Impacts by Alternative
the
of
ID-37-77
NO WILDERNESS
ALL
wilderness
values
slightly
No
Impact
enhanced
Impacts
on
Wilderness
Impacts
on
Oil
Values
and Gas
Exploration
Wilderness
and
40
acres
values
withdrawn
Values
preserved
from
leasing
lost
No
Impact
No
Impact
No
Impact
Development
Impacts
on Timber
Harvest
Harvest
cant
Impacts
ALTERNATIVE
on
Motorized
Recreation
foregone
on
39
acres
No
signifi
impact
No Impact
765
on 40
acres
Local
and
Social
Wilderness designation
social
would
effects
Economic
would
occur
Considerations
minor favorable
create
result of
as
Summary of WSA-Specific
involvement
Public
and
period
early
management
In
the
since
favoring
it
was
stages
of those
inventory
Those
has
of
stage those
adjacent
to
US
found
to
have
inventory
U.S
were
Forest
the
wilderness
wilderness
intensive
opposing
review
in
considered
impact as
the
Worm
result
Creek
of increased
No
use
recreation
significant
WSA
Certain
process
issues
developing
comments
and
various
received
the
during
alternatives
for
the
inventory
ultimate
value
inventory
homesite owners
Service
of
designation
were
preparation
economic
Comments
Public
occurred throughout
lands
intensive
wilderness
were
living
concerned
with
near the area
proposal
766
mineral development
and
others
who
felt
of
the area
the
area
should
be
inventoried