Wilderness Character • What it is • Why it matters • Interagency collaboration
Wilderness Ranger Academy June 2012
“I have come more and more to the conclusion that wilderness, in America or anywhere else, is the only thing left that is worth saving.” -Edward Abbey Mesa Verde Wilderness, Colorado 1 There is not a lot of wild land out there… 2 Only 10% of the land area is remote (more than 48 hours from a large city)
Travel time to major cities in hours (and days) and shipping lane density. Slide courtesy of Ralph Swain The Wilderness Act of 1964
“In order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition, it is hereby declared 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.” Fire Island Wilderness, New York 4 What is Wilderness?
“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” –The Wilderness Act of 1964
Shenandoah Wilderness, Virginia 5 Defining Wilderness A Wilderness Area….” (1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; (3) has at least five thousand acres of land or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition; and (4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.”
Marjorie Stoneman Douglass Wilderness, Florida
6 Which agency manages the most wilderness AREAS (UNITS)?
7 National Wilderness Preservation System
8 Which agency manages the most wilderness ACRES?
9 National Wilderness Preservation System
10 The Stewardship Task: Preserve Wilderness Character
Congress determines the state of wilderness
BETTERBETTER character at the time of designation or study Character Character
Our task is to sustain or improve this state Wilderness Wilderness WORSEWORSE LESS MORE Modern Human Influence 11 Wilderness Character Framework
Key for Stewardship
Developed by the “Interagency Wilderness Character Monitoring Team” (2006 – 2008)
12 What is wilderness character?
Wilderness Act of 1964 UNTRAMMELED NATURAL Wilderness Character
Section 2(c) Definition of Wilderness SOLITUDE OR PRIMITIVED UNDEVELOPED AND Qualities of UNCONFINED RECREATION Wilderness Character OTHER FEATURES AND VALUES Link directly to the LAW Tangible, useful 13 Why Wilderness Character? To Improve On‐the‐ground Stewardship:
Understand consequences of decisions and actions in wilderness
Provide accountability
Provide legacy information that will endure over time when personnel change
Communicate a positive and tangible vision for what wilderness is within the agency and with the public
Guard against legal vulnerability
14 Wilderness Character in Court “…an improper evaluation of the wilderness character of the area….” Barnes v. Babbitt (D. Ariz.) (2004) “‘Natural conditions’…are part of the ‘wilderness character’ to be preserved.” Wilderness Soc. v. USFWS (9th Cir. En banc) (2003) “…that action degrades the wilderness character….” Izaak Walton League v. Kimbell (D. Minn.) (2007) “[The decision] is in direct contradiction of the mandate to preserve the wilderness character.” OLYM Park Assoc. v. Mainella (West. D. WA) (2005) 15 Qualities of Wilderness Character 1. “Natural” Wilderness ecological systems are substantially free from the effects of modern civilization
WHY: • Preserve indigenous species, patterns, and ecological and evolutionary processes • Understand and learn from natural systems 14 Examples of what degrades this quality
• Plant and animal species and communities Loss of native animals and plants Occurrence of non-indigenous species
• Physical resources
Air pollutants
Altered water flow
• Biophysical processes
Climate change
Altered disturbance regimes Qualities of Wilderness Character 2. “Solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation” Wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation
WHY: • Primitive recreation and the use of traditional skills
• Personal challenge and self-discovery
• Freedom from the constraints of culture 16 Examples of what degrades this quality • Agency-provided facilities that decrease self-reliant recreation
• The sights and sounds of people inside wilderness • Management restrictions on visitor behavior
• The sights and sounds of occupied and modified areas outside the wilderness 17 Qualities of Wilderness Character 3. “Undeveloped” Wilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially without permanent improvement or modern human occupation
WHY: • Preserve places from “expanding settlement and growing mechanization” • Allow people to feel a part of “the community of life” 18 EXAMPLES OF WHAT DEGRADES THIS QUALITY • Non-recreational structures or installations • Use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport • Inholdings
19 Qualities of Wilderness Character 4. “Untrammeled” Wilderness is essentially unhindered and free from the actions of modern human control or manipulation
WHY: • To manage with the utmost humility and restraint
• To respect the autonomy of nature, to let a place be wild and free 20 Examples of what degrades this quality • Authorized actions that manipulate, control, or hinder the “community of life”
Killing predators
Spraying weeds Suppressing fire
Stocking fish/wildlife Lighting fire Collaring wildlife
• Unauthorized actions that manipulate, control, or hinder the “community of life”
“Bucket brigade” 21 Qualities of Wilderness Character 5. “Other features” WHAT: wilderness “may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.” (Wilderness Act, Sec 2c)
WHY: • To protect the tangible features that are unique to the wilderness
22 Damage or loss would degrade these features
Paleontological Cultural resources that contribute to wilderness resources character Wilderness character is more than the sum of its parts…
…and if one of those parts is taken away or degraded, the whole doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to
23 IMPLICATION: A single decision may affect more than one quality
Example: installing scientific equipment to understand the effects of climate change may benefit the natural quality, AND…
• The installation degrades the undeveloped quality • The sight and sound of the equipment and its use degrades the solitude quality 25 KEY POINTS ABOUT WILDERNESS CHARACTER • Wilderness character is composed of four qualities that uniquely apply to every wilderness
• There may also be an “other features” quality that is part of wilderness character
• All qualities of wilderness character are equally important and inter-related
• Stewardship decisions to take or not take action affect these qualities
26 What would be the trade‐offs in Wilderness Character? 1. Removing exotic invasive plants by pulling and herbicide with work crews on foot 2. Repairing an eroding trail with new water bars and stone steps 3. Implementing a permit system with designated campsites 4. Re‐establishing an endangered pronghorn population (including building a temporary release pen, radio collars) 29 APPLYING WILDERNESS CHARACTER
• Planning • Management • Monitoring
SS Using Wilderness Character In Planning
• Frame alternatives around wilderness character • Identify desired future conditions for wilderness character • Zone for wilderness character Using Wilderness Character in Analysis
Spatial model or map of wilderness character for the Death Valley Wilderness in Death Valley National Park
Composed of the four equally weighted qualities, built from 41 weighted input variables Using Wilderness Character in Management
• Minimum Requirements Decisions • Science and research activities • Compliance Documents • Commercial services • Maintenance activities • EMS, law enforcement, wildland fire • Interpretation and education • Cultural resources • Training Apply to Monitoring •Measure the future •Adapt management •Protect wilderness character Apply to Decision‐making TRADE‐OFFS: A SINGLE DECISION OR ACTION MAY AFFECT MORE THAN ONE QUALITY
Example: installing a barrier to restrict nonnative fish movement
•The decision to install the structure to restrict nonnative fish modifies water flow degrades the untrammeled quality •The results of the action will improve the natural quality •The presence of the structure also degrades the undeveloped quality
35 Interagency Collaboration
All four wilderness agencies: • Agree on the wilderness character framework • Are moving towards implementing WC monitoring
36 USFS and NPS
NPS and USFS are collaborating on a Sangre de Cristo wilderness character assessment summer 2012:
• Wilderness Fellow June –November
• Select measures and collect baseline
• Identify issues and future planning needs
37 The Stewardship Task: Preserve Wilderness Character
At your Wilderness: • How can you keep this dot from sliding down the line? BETTERBETTER • How can you move it up? Character Character
Wilderness Wilderness WORSEWORSE LESS MORE Modern Human Influence 38 Thanks! Questions? Comments?
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Wilderness.net > Management Tools > Toolboxes > Wilderness Character Maroon Bells Wilderness, Colorado 39