FINDINGS.

SEC. 101. FINDINGS. The Congress finds and declares that— (1) wilderness is a distinguishing characteristic of the public lands in the California desert, one which affords an unrivaled opportunity for experiencing vast areas of the Old West essentially unaltered by man’s activities, and which merits preservation for the benefit of present and future generations; (2) the wilderness values of desert lands are increasingly threatened by and especially vulnerable to impairment, alteration, and destruction by activities and intrusions associated with incompatible use and development; and (3) preservation of desert wilderness necessarily requires the highest forms of protective designation and management.