Under alternatives A and C, no LWCs are designated as Wild Lands. Therefore, the preservation of wilderness characteristics (e.g., a high degree of naturalness, outstanding opportunities for solitude, or outstanding opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation) in LWCs would be least effective under these alternatives. In contrast, LWCs under Alternative B (571,288 acres) are designated as Wild Lands, and are specifically managed to protect naturalness, outstanding opportunities for solitude, and primitive and unconfined recreation. Although many LWCs in the Planning Area contain potential resource conflicts that may be inconsistent with retention of wilderness characteristics (see Table 3-46), under Alternative B the BLM will apply management to preserve these characteristics to the extent practicable. Such management would be a beneficial impact for wilderness characteristics. Alternative D designates 52,485 acres as Wild Lands. Alternative D designates nine LWCs as Wild Lands in areas consistent with similar resource protections. This alternative would not designate the remaining LWCs as Wild Lands, based on resource conflicts identified in Chapter 3 (Table 3-46).

Alternatives A and C include the least restrictive management of resource uses that involve surface disturbance or degrade the natural character of the landscape in LWCs. Alternative C would result in the greatest adverse impacts to these lands, due to the greater intensity of resource uses and the amount of surface disturbance under this alternative. Overlapping special designations under alternatives A and D (in areas not designated as Wild Lands) also provide some protection for wilderness characteristics in LWCs. No special designations under Alternative C, overlap LWCs. . Under Alternative A, 10,778 acres of WSR eligible waterway segments and 29,794 acres of ACEC designations would overlap LWCs. Under Alternative D, 52,415 acres of LWCs are overlapped by ACECs; 9,270 acres of ACEC designations would overlap LWCs not managed as Wild Lands.

Alternatives B and D, respectively, would result in the greatest beneficial impacts to wilderness characteristics in LWCs by restricting or limiting resource uses and activities that could degrade wilderness characteristics designated Wild Lands. Management actions under alternatives B and D that protect designated Wild Lands would restrict, and thereby adversely affect, resource uses and certain activities (e.g., motorized vehicle use) to maintain the naturalness and opportunities for solitude and primitive, unconfined recreation in these areas. However, the comparatively more restrictive mineral resources and ROW development under alternatives B and D would benefit other resources in Wild Land areas, such as soils, primitive and back country recreation, and visual resources.