Comment from MacDonald, Shawn

I am a lifelong Oregonian who spends much of my free time on our public lands hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and exploring the backcountry. My support for maintaining strong wilderness protections comes from decades of firsthand experience, not ideology. Oregon's wilderness and wilderness study areas provide some of the last places where wildlife can thrive with minimal disturbance and where people can experience truly wild landscapes. As a hunter and angler, I know healthy habitat is the foundation of healthy game populations. Intact watersheds, roadless country, and undisturbed migration corridors benefit elk, deer, bighorn sheep, upland birds, native fish, and countless other species that depend on these landscapes. These areas also provide something increasingly rare: opportunities for self-reliance, solitude, and quiet recreation. Hunting, fishing, backpacking, horseback riding, and hiking are all compatible with preserving wilderness character. Once roads, motorized access, or industrial development permanently alter these landscapes, they cannot easily be restored. I urge the Bureau of Land Management to maintain and strengthen existing wilderness management policies rather than weaken them. Any revisions to Manual 6330 or 6340 should continue to prioritize preserving wilderness character, protecting wildlife habitat, maintaining clean water, and ensuring these public lands remain available for future generations of Americans to enjoy. Public lands belong to all Americans, including future generations. As someone who has spent a lifetime enjoying Oregon's wild places, I want my children and grandchildren to have the same opportunities to hunt, fish, hike, and experience truly wild country that I have been fortunate enough to enjoy. Please retain strong protections for designated Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Study Areas and avoid policy changes that would erode their conservation values or open the door to incremental degradation. These lands are part of our nation's natural heritage and should be managed with their long-term ecological integrity as the highest priority. The BLM is currently seeking public input on potential revisions to its wilderness management manuals, and this is an opportunity to reaffirm those longstanding stewardship principles.