Wyden proposes Badlands wilderness area near Bend

If approved by Congress, the 30,000 desert acres would exclude motorized recreation.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said Tuesday he would introduce a bill to create a desert wilderness area east of Bend.

Wyden made the announcement amid the juniper and sagebrush of the area known as the Badlands, which is overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

"After years of increasing interest and excitement about protecting this beautiful place, I am ready to introduce the legislation necessary to create the 30,000-acre Oregon Badlands Wilderness," he said.

The Oregon Natural Desert Association, a Bend group integral in creating the Steens wilderness during the Clinton administration, has been advocating for converting the Badlands to wilderness.

The area 15 miles east of Bend is managed as a wilderness study area by the BLM, which bestows some of the same protections. But only Congress can designate a wilderness, which would exclude motorized recreation from the Badlands.

Motorized groups, such as ATV users, have provided the primary opposition. Three years ago their testimony helped lead Deschutes County commissioners to refrain from endorsing the Badlands proposal.

The issue has been mostly quiet since, but this year yellow Badlands wilderness yard signs started showing up around Bend as the desert association sought to build public support.

"Thousands of centralOregonians and over 200 local businesses have made it clear that the time is now to permanently protect the Badlands," said Brent Fenty, executive director of the desert association.

Now the debate moves to Washington D.C., where the wilderness idea will need a sponsor in the House if Wyden can push it through the Senate.

"I look forward to working with Senator Wyden to ensure that any legislation designating wilderness in the Badlands does so in a way that does not shut down unique mountain bike trails nor prevents sled dog training that occurs there now," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., whose district includes the Bend area.