This very important step is done from home. It is essential to begin your adoption by building a relationship with the agency responsible for managing your wilderness unit, the Bureau of Land Management.

Write a letter to the BLM Field Office given in your Adopter's Packet. Things to include:

Introduce yourself

Mention the personal importance of the area that you have adopted.

State that this area has been inventoried by the Utah Wilderness Coalition and meets the criteria for permanent Wilderness protection.

Make a formal request that you wish to be informed of ANY proposed action or management change to your adopted area. (For example: new roads, oil and gas drilling, mining, travel plan, chainings, livestock, etc).

Ask for a copy of the area's "Travel Plan" (description of allowable vehicle use and road maintenance).

Offer to do, or assist in a service project in your unit to help the BLM to
protect the area.

If you haven't heard from the BLM in a couple of weeks, phone the BLM Field Office. Tell the BLM:

Have they received your letter?

Reiterate the requests of your letter

Ask the BLM if they might have any documents or reports that would help you learn more about the management of your adopted area.

Photo: Book Cliffs, Desbrough Canyon by Gordon Swenson