Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Presidential Documents 54455 

Proclamation 8553 of August 31, 2010 

National Wilderness Month, 2010 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

For centuries, the American spirit of exploration and discovery has led 

us to experience the majesty of our Nation’s wilderness. From raging rivers 

to serene prairies, from mountain peaks slicing the skyline to forests teeming 

with life, our Nation’s landscapes have provided wonder, inspiration, and 

strength to all Americans. Many sites continue to hold historical, cultural, 

and religious significance for Indian tribes, the original stewards of this 

continent. We must continue to preserve and protect these scenic places 

and the life that inhabits them so they may be rediscovered and appreciated 

by generations to come. 

As we celebrate America’s abundance of diverse lands, remarkable wildlife, 

and untamed beauty during National Wilderness Month, we also look back 

on our rich history of conservation. It was over 100 years ago that President 

Theodore Roosevelt marveled at the stark grandeur of the Grand Canyon 

and declared, ‘‘the ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar 

it.’’ Since that time, administrations have worked across party lines to defend 

America’s breathtaking natural sites. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed 

the Wilderness Act in 1964, and many Presidents have since added new 

places to this great network of protected lands so that millions of acres 

of forests, monuments, and parks will be preserved for our children and 

grandchildren. 

Following in the footsteps of my predecessors, I signed the Omnibus Public 

Land Management Act last year to restore and protect more of our cherished 

wild spaces. In April of this year, I established the America’s Great Outdoors 

Initiative to develop a community-based 21st century conservation agenda 

that can also spur job creation in the tourism and recreation industries. 

My Administration will continue to work closely with our State, local, 

and tribal partners to connect Americans with the great outdoors. 

This month, we renew our pledge to build upon the legacy of our forebears. 

Together, we must ensure that future generations can experience the tranquility and grandeur of America’s natural places. As we resolve to meet 

this responsibility, let us also reflect on the ways in which our lives have 

been enriched by the gift of the American wilderness. 

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 2010 

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

our wilderness areas, to learn about their vast history, and to aid in the 

protection of our precious national treasures. 


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54456 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day 

of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence 

of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth. 

[FR Doc. 2010–22430 

Filed 9–3–10; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3195–W0–P 


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