PART III 



OREGON/MORMON TRAIL 

 GENERAL MANAGEMENT POLICY 



This policy describes how the Oregon/Mormon, 

 California, and Pony Express Trails will be 

 managed on the public lands in the State of 

 Wyoming. It is intended to be a general policy 

 applicable to all three districts having manage- 

 ment responsibility for the above trail resources. 

 It is designed to be flexible to ensure that 

 unforeseen problems or circumstances can be 

 handled without major policy changes. 



LIMITATIONS OF THE 

 MANAGEMENT PLAN 



This management plan is limited to lands 

 managed by the Bureau of Land Management. 

 State, private, and other federal lands are not 

 included in the BLM's management program for 

 these trails, except where exchanges, acquisition, 

 or easements are planned. 



SPLIT ESTATE LANDS 



Management of surface resources is con- 

 strained by split ownership of the surface and 

 mineral estates. Mineral estate and surface 

 management responsibilities will be closely 

 coordinated to minimize impacts on the Oregon 

 and Mormon Pioneer Trails when private surface 

 owners are willing to cooperate. 



The specific policy is as follows: 



Federal Minerals 

 Surface 



Private or State 



The BLM is required by law to protect the 

 environmental integrity of National Register 

 eligible sites from potentially damaging federal 

 actions. Surface ownership is not an issue unless 

 the private owner denies access for cultural 

 resource investigations and clearance for oil and 

 gas wells in an area of proposed impact. 



Whenever a significant split-estate segment of 

 trail is discovered, the District Manager will 

 consult with the private surface owner to 



determine whether or not the owner wants the 

 trail to be protected. If protection is desired, 

 protective stipulations will be attached to the 

 authorization of the action, and the owner will be 

 referred to NPS for possible certification of the 

 land as a protected segment of the National 

 Historic Trail(s). If the owner does not want the 

 trail to be protected, then the district will consult 

 with the Advisory Council on Historic Preser- 

 vation, in accordance with Section 106 of the 

 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. After 

 comments have been received and considered, 

 the landowner's wishes will be followed. 



Federal Surface 

 Minerals 



Private or State 



Under this situation, the BLM, as surface 

 manager, cannot reasonably prohibit develop- 

 ment of mineral resources. The BLM can influence 

 how development would take place. Where 

 significant trail resources are found, the BLM 

 could influence the location of access roads, the 

 manner of construction, final location of sites, and 

 have input into design ofreclamation measures. 

 In the event that mineral development would result 

 in the loss of significant trail resources, the BLM 

 would work with mineral owners or developers 

 to develop a satisfactory mitigation program. This 

 would consist of interpretive facilities to replace 

 lost wagon ruts, restoration of the site, or other 

 measures on a case-by-case basis. 



PROTECTIVE CORRIDOR 

 CONCEPT 



The protective corridor will not apply to the 

 entire routes of the trails across Wyoming. 

 However, where warranted, a protective corridor 

 may be established on a site specific basis for 

 significant sites and segments (for criteria see 

 Appendix IV) at the discretion of individual 

 districts along primary routes and important 

 alternatives to the Oregon and Mormon Pioneer 

 National Historic Trails. A width of V* mile either 

 side of the trail or the visual horizon, whichever 

 is less, is the recommended protection. This 



11 



