1. The legislature hereby finds that many rivers of the state, with their immediate environs, possess outstanding natural, scenic, historic, ecological and recreational values.

2. Improvident development and use of these rivers and their immediate environs will deprive present and future generations of the benefit and enjoyment of these unique and valuable resources.

3. It is hereby declared to be the policy of this state that certain selected rivers of the state which, with their immediate environs, possess the aforementioned characteristics, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition and that they and their immediate environs shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

4. The purpose of this act is to implement this policy by instituting a state wild, scenic and recreational rivers system, by designating the initial components of that system and by prescribing the methods by which and standards according to which additional components may be added to the system from time to time.