Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§1135 Gifts, Bequests, and Contributions

Title 16 › Chapter 23— NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM › § 1135

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture can accept gifts or bequests of land inside designated wilderness areas to keep them wild. The Secretary can also accept land next to those wilderness areas if they give sixty days' advance notice to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. Land taken this way becomes part of the wilderness and can be managed under any agreements or conditions made with the gift, as long as they follow the law's policy. The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior can also accept private donations and gifts to help carry out the law's purposes.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §1135

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Agriculture may accept gifts or bequests of land within wilderness areas designated by this chapter for preservation as wilderness. The Secretary of Agriculture may also accept gifts or bequests of land adjacent to wilderness areas designated by this chapter for preservation as wilderness if he has given sixty days advance notice thereof to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Land accepted by the Secretary of Agriculture under this section shall be come part of the wilderness area involved. Regulations with regard to any such land may be in accordance with such agreements, consistent with the policy of this chapter, as are made at the time of such gift, or such conditions, consistent with such policy, as may be included in, and accepted with, such bequest.

(b)The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to accept private contributions and gifts to be used to further the purposes of this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 1135

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60