---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 460oo"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "460oo"
heading: "Establishment"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/460oo"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter C — Oregon Cascades Recreation Area"
---

# §460oo. Establishment

- (a) **In general—** In order to conserve, protect, and manage, in a substantially undeveloped condition, certain National Forest System lands in the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Oregon having unique geographic, topographic, biological, ecological features and possessing significant scenic, wildlife, dispersed recreation, and watershed values, there is hereby established, within the Umpqua, Willamette, Winema and Deschutes National Forests, the Oregon Cascades Recreation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) (hereinafter referred to in this subchapter as the “recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)”).
- (b) **Administration—** The recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall comprise approximately one hundred fifty-six thousand nine hundred acres as generally depicted on a [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “Oregon Cascades Recreation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)” dated March 1984. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the “[Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)”) shall administer and manage the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to the National Forest System so as to enhance scenic and watershed values, wildlife habitat, and dispersed recreation.
- (c) **Management plan—** The recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall be managed in accordance with plans prepared in [subsection (g)](#g) to:
  - (1) provide a range of recreation opportunities from primitive to full service developed campgrounds;
  - (2) provide access for use by the public;
  - (3) to the extent practicable, maintain the natural and scenic character of the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A); and
  - (4) provide for the use of motorized recreation vehicles.
- (d) **Mining—**
  - (1) Subject to valid existing rights, all mining claims located within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall be subject to such reasonable regulations as the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may prescribe to insure that mining activities will, to the maximum extent practicable, be consistent with the purposes for which the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) is established. Any patent issued after June 26, 1984, shall convey title only to the minerals together with the right to use the surface of lands for mining purposes subject to such reasonable regulations as the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall prescribe.
  - (2) Effective January 1, 1989, and subject to valid existing rights, the lands located within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from disposition under all laws pertaining to the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing and all amendments thereto.
- (e) **Allowance of limited activities and facilities—** Within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may permit, under appropriate regulations those limited activities and facilities which he determines necessary for resource protection and management and for visitor safety and comfort, including—
  - (1) those necessary to prevent and control wildfire, insects, diseases, soil erosion, and other damaging agents including timber harvesting activities necessary to prevent catastrophic mortality from insects, diseases or fire;
  - (2) those necessary to maintain or improve wildlife habitat, water yield and quality, forage production, and dispersed outdoor recreation opportunities;
  - (3) livestock grazing, to the extent that such use will not significantly adversely affect the resources of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A);
  - (4) salvage of major timber mortality caused by fire, insects, disease, blowdown, or other causes when the scenic characteristics of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) are significantly affected, or the health and safety of the public is threatened, or the overall protection of the forested [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) inside or outside the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) might be adversely affected by failure to remove the dead or damaged timber;
  - (5) those developments or facilities necessary for the public enjoyment and use of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), when such development or facilities do not detract from the purposes of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A); and
  - (6) public service land occupancies, including power transmission lines, provided there is no feasible alternative location, and, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) finds that it is in the public interest to locate such facilities within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A).
- (f) **Wilderness lands—** The following lands within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) are hereby designated as [wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) and therefore as components of the [National Wilderness Preservation System](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13), and shall, notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, be administered by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Wilderness Act [[16 U.S.C. 1131](/usc/16/1131.md) et seq.]: Certain lands in the Umpqua, Willamette, and Winema National Forests which comprise approximately fifty-five thousand one hundred acres, are generally depicted on a [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) dated March 1984, entitled “Mount Thielsen [Wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13)—Proposed”, and which shall be known as the Mount Thielsen [Wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13); and certain lands in the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests, which comprise approximately fifteen thousand seven hundred acres, are generally depicted on a [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) dated March 1984, entitled “Diamond Peak [Wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) [Additions](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-2)—Proposed”, and which are hereby incorporated in, and which shall be deemed to be a part of, the Diamond Peak [Wilderness](/usc/16/3102.md?p=13) as designated in Public Law 88–577.
- (g) **Forest plans; integrated management plans—** Management direction for the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall be developed in either the forest plans developed for the Umpqua, Winema, Deschutes and Willamette Forests in accordance with [section 6](/usc/16/6.md) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended [[16 U.S.C. 1604](/usc/16/1604.md)], or in an integrated [management plan](/usc/16/544.md?p=k) that shall be prepared within three years from June 26, 1984, and revised in accordance with the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended [[16 U.S.C. 1600](/usc/16/1600.md) et seq.]. Any plan developed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) for the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall identify and designate specific and appropriate [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) and routes for the use of motorized recreation vehicles within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–328, § 4, June 26, 1984, 98 Stat. 275.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “the Act”, meaning Pub. L. 98–328, June 26, 1984, 98 Stat. 272, known as the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984, which enacted this subchapter and provisions listed in a table of Wilderness Areas set out under section 1132 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

The Wilderness Act and Public Law 88–577, referred to in subsec. (f), are Pub. L. 88–577, Sept. 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 890, which is classified generally to chapter 23 (§ 1131 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1131 of this title and Tables.

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (g), is Pub. L. 93–378, Aug. 17, 1974, 88 Stat. 476, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 1600 et seq.) of chapter 36 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1600 of this title and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Map of Recreation Area

Pub. L. 98–328, § 5(a), June 26, 1984, 98 Stat. 277, provided in part that as soon as practicable after June 6, 1984, the Secretary of Agriculture was to file the map referred to in this section with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senate, and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, and that such map would have the same force and effect as if included in this section: Provided, That correction of clerical and typographical errors in such map could be made. Such map was to be on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; and the Director, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.