Texas Wilderness Act of 1984

Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law in 1964 (with Lady Bird Johnson’s prodding). The Act protected 54 wilderness areas, covering over 9 million acres. None were in Texas. The long campaign to create federal wilderness areas in the state began in 1976 with Senator John Tower’s SB 3609, an aborted proposal to review Texas national forests for wilderness suitability. In 1979, the Roadless Area Evaluation II (RARE II) identified 10 parcels in east Texas national forests, totaling roughly 65,000 acres, as qualified for wilderness designation. However, the USDA recommended just 3 wilderness areas, covering 10,700 acres. The following year, Congressmen Eckhardt, Gonzalez, Leland and others filed HR 7599 to designate wilderness areas. While unsuccessful at that stage, the effort to protect sections of long-untouched lands finally did advance with passage of the Texas Wilderness Act of 1984, creating 5 protected areas totaling more than 34,000 acres. Ned Fritz, Beth Johnson, Janice Bezanson and a dozen non-profits were central to organizing citizen support for the measure. Rep. John Bryant, Rep. Steve Barlett, and Senator Lloyd Bentsen sponsored the bill, with local backing from Rep. Charlie Wilson, and industry help from Temple-Eastex. President Reagan passed the law on October 30, 1984.