[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 123, 111th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8409--SEPT. 3, 2009

Proclamation 8409 of September 3, 2009
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 her-

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itage, 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.
BARACK OBAMA