1. an environmental probe
2. an act of measuring the depth of a body of water
3. [often pl.] an exploratory sampling, as of public opinions.

However, from 1977 on, according to wilderness law and policy, Grand Canyon National Park must manage these proposed lands as if they were already official wilderness. In this way the wilderness character of the proposed lands will not be compromised while they await Congressional action.

The Park has now written a planning document to guide wilderness management, and the public has been invited to comment. This document is not a call for wilderness, but a plan to manage what is already there. It is not a question of if there will be wilderness at Grand Canyon - there already is. Wilderness is a given until Congress acts. The question is how we will manage what we already have. That question is answered by the Wilderness Management Plan. The public has been asked to comment on the how.

he WMP is not the only plan to incorporate wilderness management. It sets the course for how the Park will manage human use of wilderness, and directs that other specific plans include wilderness management. Some areas mentioned in the WMP already have their own plans, for example fire and river management. When Grand Canyon revises its current Fire Management Plan, wilderness will be a major component (as directed by the WMP). Wilderness management must be incorporated into all planning documents that chart actions which occur in wilderness. Thus, wilderness will be an important part of the CRMP update.

In the May, 1998, issue of Soundings, the NPS listed eight major issues identified through public input to be addressed in the CRMP process. Number Six was "Wilderness Management." Objectives include achieving the legal requirements of the Wilderness Act and NPS wilderness management policies for the wilderness of the Colorado River. Wilderness is also included in three of the eight management objectives for the CRMP(2).

However, the facts of the case are these: The 1980 Wilderness Recommendation identified most of Grand Canyon National Park as suitable for wilderness designation by Congress. The Recommendation also identified 121,000 acres that would qualify as wilderness once temporary incompatible conditions were resolved. For example, some lands were privately owned or subject to grazing or mineral leases. The NPS felt these potential wilderness areas did not qualify as wilderness until the property was acquired and the leases expired. Motorboat use precluded recommending the river corridor for immediate wilderness designation. The NPS continues to wait for Congress to act on this Recommendation.

In the interim, to preclude the loss of any wilderness values during the wait, the park service is specifically required to manage any pending wilderness as if it were designated wilderness "...to the extent that nonconforming uses allow." Grand Canyon has taken the position that until Congress decides the question of motors on the River, the Park would continue to manage wilderness to the best of its ability and to the extent that nonconforming uses allow. If you have an opinion on this or any other issue, you are welcome to voice it.

• Identify Planning Team

• Develop Public Involvement Plan

• Conduct Public Workshops

• Conduct Comment Analysis

• Report to Public on Workshops/Scoping

• Compile Summary of Public Comment

• Distribute Summary of Public Comment

• Involve Public in Developing Alternatives

• Draft Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) Distributed

• Public Involvement on Draft Plan

• Draft Alternatives from Workgroups submitted to Planning Team

• Release Final Plan