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.

                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.

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