This bill would make sure that Big Cypress National Preserve cannot be designated as wilderness, which affects how the land can be used and managed. This matters because it allows for more flexibility in land use decisions in the area.
This bill prohibits the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The National Park Service currently manages Big Cypress National Preserve, which is a freshwater swamp ecosystem of 729,000 acres. In general, development activities, commercial activities, permanent structures, and roads are prohibited in wilderness areas. In contrast, natural preserves typically allow some development activities, such as hunting or oil and gas exploration.
