Why We Need Wilderness

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Photo courtesy Fotolia/shumizmajcek
Wilderness, as defined by the Wilderness Act, retains its primeval character — land where “the Earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

Sept. 3 marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act, the landmark federal legislation that preserves more than 105 million acres of wild land throughout the United States. Within designated wild areas, the Act allows research and recreation, such as hiking, canoeing and camping, but prohibits mechanized vehicles and all development — including road building, logging and drilling. Wilderness, as defined by the Act, retains its primeval character — land where “the Earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

Proposals are pending to protect millions more wild acres — the Act declared it to be “the policy of the Congress to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.” Today only 4.67 percent of U.S. land (2.5 percent outside of Alaska) has permanent wilderness designation.

  • Published on Aug 1, 2004
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