Shawnee National Forest conservation

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Designated natural area The term designated natural area means an area determined to be of exceptional ecological, botanical, geologic, scenic, or archeological value by the Secretary. (2) Designated research natural area The term designated research natural area means an area that has been selected by the Secretary, and is managed by the Forest Service, for scientific research value. (3) Map The term Map means the map prepared and submitted by the Secretary under subsection (b)(5)(A). (4) Special Management Area The term Special Management Area means a Special Management Area established by subsection (c)(1). (b) Camp Hutchins Wilderness (1) Addition to the National Wilderness Preservation System In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), certain land in the Shawnee National Forest in the State of Illinois managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately 750 acres depicted as Camp Hutchins Wilderness Area—Proposed on the map prepared by the Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled Camp Hutchins Wilderness Area and Special Management Area and dated November 23, 2023, is designated as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and shall be known as the Camp Hutchins Wilderness. (2) Management Subject to valid existing rights, the Camp Hutchins Wilderness shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that any reference in that Act to the effective date shall be considered to be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act. (3) Hiking trail National Forest System Road 211 shall be closed to public vehicular traffic and may be maintained as a hiking trail, including the eastern extension of Forest Road 211 formerly known as the Hutchins Creek Spur up to the area known as Hutchins Creek Corridor, as generally depicted on the Map. (4) Withdrawal Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land within the Camp Hutchins Wilderness, including any land or interest in land that is acquired by the United States within the Camp Hutchins Wilderness after the date of enactment of this Act, is withdrawn from— (A) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land law; (B) location, entry, and patent under mining law; and (C) operation of mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing law. (5) Map and legal description (A) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and legal description of the Camp Hutchins Wilderness with— (i) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and (ii) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives. (B) Effect The Map and legal description filed under subparagraph (A) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors on the Map and in the legal description. (C) Availability The Map and legal description filed under subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate office of the Secretary and on the website of the Forest Service. (c) Establishment of Special Management Areas (1) Establishment Subject to valid existing rights, the following Special Management Areas within the Shawnee National Forest in the State of Illinois are established: (A) Camp Hutchins Special Management Area Certain Federal land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately 2,953 acres and generally depicted as Camp Hutchins Special Management Area—Proposed on the map prepared by the Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled Camp Hutchins Wilderness Area and Special Management Area and dated November 23, 2023, which shall be known as the Camp Hutchins Special Management Area. (B) Ripple Hollow Special Management Area Certain Federal land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately 3,445 acres and generally depicted as Ripple Hollow Special Management Area—Proposed on the map prepared by the Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled Ripple Hollow Special Management Area and dated November 23, 2023, which shall be known as the Ripple Hollow Special Management Area. (C) Burke Branch Special Management Area Certain Federal land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately 6,310 acres and generally depicted as Burke Branch Special Management Area—Proposed, on the map prepared by the Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled Burke Branch Special Management Area and dated November 23, 2023, which shall be known as the Burke Branch Special Management Area. (2) Purposes The purposes of the Special Management Areas are— (A) to conserve, protect, and enhance the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historic, educational, and scientific resources of the Special Management Areas for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations; (B) to promote biodiversity and control invasive species; (C) to allow for the continuation of restoration efforts and scientific study of the designated natural areas and designated research natural areas within the Special Management Areas; and (D) to allow for public use and enjoyment of the Special Management Areas. (d) Administration of Special Management Areas (1) In general The Secretary shall administer the Special Management Areas— (A) in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances the purposes for which the Special Management Areas are established; and (B) in accordance with— (i) this subsection; and (ii) other applicable law. (2) Management plan Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a management plan for the long-term protection and management of the Special Management Areas. (3) Uses (A) In general The Secretary shall allow only uses of the Special Management Areas that are consistent with the purposes for which the Special Management Areas are established. (B) Prescribed fire The Secretary may use prescribed fire to sustain the ecological structure and composition of the Special Management Areas, to sustain the biodiversity of the Special Management Areas, and to mitigate the risk of wildfire in the Special Management Areas or nearby areas. (C) Management tools (i) In general The Secretary may use herbicides, insecticides, and mechanized equipment, including chainsaws, drones, unmanned aerial systems, aircraft, pickup trucks, all-terrain vehicles, and rubber-tired and tracked vehicles, to control fire, insects, disease, and invasive species in managing the Special Management Areas approved by the Secretary. (ii) Requirement In managing the Special Management Areas, the Secretary shall use the best available technology and science. (D) Motor vehicle uses Except in cases in which motor vehicles are needed for administrative purposes, emergency response, or access on authorized roads accessing trailheads, inholdings, cemeteries, or campgrounds, or are essential to provide off-road access for ecosystem management of habitat, the use of motor vehicles, including over-snow vehicles and e-bikes, in the Special Management Areas shall be prohibited. (E) National Forest System roads The Secretary shall decommission as soon as practicable any National Forest System roads within the Special Management Areas that are not needed for administration of the National Forest System or access to trailheads, cemeteries, and inholdings. (F) Timber (i) In general Commercial timber harvesting in the Special Management Areas shall be prohibited, except as needed for— (I) continuation of restoration efforts; (II) scientific study; (III) fire, insect, and disease control; and (IV) visitor and administrative safety. (ii) Activities permitted Thinning of trees and other vegetation in the Special Management Areas is permitted for restoration of the designated natural areas and designated research natural areas and to further the management objectives described in this section. (G) Private inholdings (i) In general Access to private inholdings in the Special Management Areas shall be preserved. (ii) Acquisitions As soon as practicable and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall acquire any private inholdings in the Special Management Areas by purchase or exchange from willing sellers. (H) Hunting and trapping (i) Hunting Hunting shall be permitted in the Special Management Areas as permitted by the State of Illinois and in accordance with regulations of the State of Illinois and regulations and orders issued by the Forest Service. (ii) Trapping Trapping shall not be permitted in the Special Management Areas. (iii) Motor vehicle access Motor vehicle access by hunters within the Special Management Areas, including over-snow vehicles, shall be prohibited. (I) Volunteer restoration and research (i) Volunteers The Secretary may allow volunteers of cooperators and individual Forest Service volunteers to participate in ecological restoration activities within the Special Management Areas under mutual benefit agreements. (ii) Access for research purposes The Secretary shall allow access to the Special Management Areas for scientific research by individuals and organizations that the Secretary determines to be qualified for that purpose. (J) Ongoing management decisions The Supervisor of the Shawnee National Forest shall have the authority, without requiring the permission of the Secretary, to make management decisions concerning any designated natural area or designated research natural area within the Special Management Areas pursuant to the land management plan for the Shawnee National Forest. (4) Withdrawal Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land within the Special Management Areas, including any land or interest in land that is acquired by the United States within the Special Management Areas after the date of enactment of this Act, is withdrawn from— (A) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land law; (B) location, entry, and patent under mining law; and (C) operation of mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing law. (5) Maps and legal descriptions (A) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and legal descriptions of the Special Management Areas with— (i) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and (ii) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives. (B) Effect The map and legal descriptions filed under subparagraph (A) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors on the map and in the legal descriptions. (C) Availability The map and legal descriptions filed under subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate office of the Secretary and on the website of the Forest Service. (6) Public information Annually, the Secretary shall make publicly available on the website of the Shawnee National Forest a description of the progress in achieving the management objectives described in this section.