In order to provide for public outdoor recreation use, including fishing and hunting, in a natural setting, and the enjoyment of certain areas within the Mark Twain National Forest, to protect those areas’ natural, archaeological, and scenic resources, and to provide for appropriate resource management of those areas, there is hereby established the Greer Spring Special Management Area (hereinafter referred to as “the special management area”). The Secretary shall manage the special management area in accordance with this Act, and with provisions of law generally applicable to units of the National Forest System to the extent consistent with this Act.

The special management area shall consist of lands, waters, and interests therein within the area referred to on the map as “The Greer Spring Special Management Area”. The Secretary is authorized to make minor revisions to the boundary of the special management area.

The Secretary shall permit the harvesting of timber within the special management area only in those cases where, in the judgment of the Secretary, the harvesting of timber is required in order to control insects or disease, for public safety, for salvage sales, or to accomplish the objectives of the special management area as described in subsection (a). To the extent practicable, timber harvesting shall be conducted only by the individual tree selection method.

The Secretary shall permit hunting and fishing on lands and waters within the special management area in accordance with applicable Federal and State law.

Subject to valid, existing rights, lands within the special management areas are withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws of the United States, and from the operation of the mineral and geothermal leasing laws of the United States.

The Secretary shall construct and maintain only those roads within the special management area and corridor which are indicated on the map: Provided, That the Secretary shall provide access to such roads, or to timber harvesting pursuant to subsection (c), in such a manner as to minimize environmental impact.

(Pub. L. 102–220, § 4, Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1674.)