Presidential Documents

45977 

Federal Register 

Vol. 74, No. 172 

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 8409 of September 3, 2009 

National Wilderness Month, 2009 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

The American wilderness has inspired wonder and imagination for centuries 

and is an irreplaceable part of our Nation’s heritage. Even before the birth 

of the United States, visitors from near and far were struck by its splendor 

and purity. The unaltered American landscape stood apart from any other 

in the world. During the years of westward expansion, the wilderness frontier 

became synonymous with pioneer values of steadfastness and rugged independence. This month, we celebrate this history and renew our commitment 

to preserving the American wilderness for future generations. 

Forty-five years ago, the United States achieved a landmark success in 

protecting these magnificent wild spaces. The Congress passed and President 

Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act, which sought to secure 

‘‘for the American people of present and future generations the benefits 

of an enduring resource of wilderness.’’ The Act has been widely recognized 

as one of our Nation’s most important conservation laws. This law and 

the National Wilderness Preservation System it established have served as 

a model for wilderness protection laws in many of our States and in countries 

around the world. 

The vision and structure established in the Wilderness Act continue to 

receive broad support. This pioneering law created a framework for bringing 

Federal public lands under additional protection. Over the past 45 years, 

the Congress has enacted numerous laws extending wilderness protection 

to vast swaths of public lands. These laws have enjoyed bipartisan support. 

Ranchers and anglers, small-business owners and conservationists, and Americans of diverse backgrounds have come together to preserve many of our 

Nation’s most cherished public spaces. 

My Administration has already demonstrated a commitment to protecting 

our wilderness heritage. On March 30, 2009, I signed the Omnibus Public 

Land Management Act of 2009, which established the most recent additions 

to our Wilderness System. As my Administration continues to prioritize 

wilderness protection, we will work closely with the Congress, organizations, 

and private citizens to ensure that all stakeholders can make their voices 

heard. United by a common purpose of preserving our precious natural 

spaces and our wilderness heritage, we will ensure that future generations 

inherit the unique gift of knowing nature’s peace. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2009 

as National Wilderness Month. I call upon all Americans to visit and enjoy 

our wilderness areas, learn more about our wilderness heritage, and explore 

what can be done to protect and preserve these precious national treasures. 


CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES6
45978 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 8, 2009 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of 

September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth. 

[FR Doc. E9–21701 

Filed 9–4–09; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3195–W9–P 


CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES6OB#1.EPS</GPH>