877 



WILDERNESS AND WILD AREAS 



In the national forests are many of the 

 last remaining parts of the country that are 

 still in much the same primitive state as 

 when the first settlers reached their vicinity. 

 They include many of the mountain ranges 

 and peaks that the pioneers saw as land- 

 marks and as spiritual symbols of a new 

 world and a new life. 



Most of the Nation's wild areas have been 

 tamed by highways, automobiles, and the 

 other devices of a mechanical civilization. 

 But as modern developments continue, the 

 interests of recreation, public education, 

 and science have made it increasingly de- 

 sirable to preserve representative areas of 

 our original wilderness. 



To contribute toward the satisfaction of 

 this need, 77 areas have been designated to 

 be preserved as wilderness. They cover 14 

 million acres on 73 national forests in 11 

 States. Of the 77 established areas, 28 ex- 

 ceed 100,000 acres and are known as wild- 

 erness areas. Forty-six, containing at least 

 5,000 acres, are called wild areas. Three, 

 on which restriction of commercial use is 

 less rigid, are known as roadless areas. 



Their uses are limited to those consistent 

 with their values. Most are still classified 

 under regulation L-20 as primitive areas; 

 other are classified under the later wilder- 

 ness and wild area regulations (U-l and 

 U-2 ) , established by the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture in 1939. For convenience, all areas, 

 whether actually classified as primitive or 

 wilderness, are now referred to as wilderness 

 or wild areas, because their management is 

 identical in nearly all instances. 



The total acreage reserved is approxi- 

 mately 8 percent of that of the national 

 forests. The areas are usually the least pro- 

 ductive of commercially valuable timber; 

 considerable portions are above the timber 

 line or have only noncommercial timber 

 growth. Most of the timber stands on the 

 remaining parts are inaccessible because of 

 location. The public is thus assured of 

 preservation of the wilderness without ma- 

 terial sacrifice of usable timber or of other 

 values important to the economic welfare 

 of the region. 



Many of the areas have outstanding 

 scenic values, but they were established for 

 another reason. They were selected as typi- 

 cal of the Rockies, Sierras, Cascades, and 

 other regions where people can enjoy un- 

 spoiled and unmodified nature. Similar 

 tracts exist in the East, but they are too 

 small to be formally classified as wild or 

 wilderness areas. A number of these smaller 

 remnants of primitive forests are in the 

 Appalachians, Alleghenies, and in the Pres- 

 idential Range of the White Mountains. 



Wilderness areas are designated by the 

 Secretary of Agriculture upon recommen- 



dation of the Chief of the Forest Service. 

 To come under this category, the lands 

 must have no roads or other provision for 

 inotorized transportation, no commercial 

 timber cutting, and no occupancy under 

 special-use permit for hotels, stores, resorts, 

 summer homes, organization camps, or for 

 hunting and fishing lodges. 



Grazing of domestic livestock and im- 

 provements necessary for fire protection 

 may be permitted on wilderness areas, sub- 

 ject to restrictions made by the Chief of 

 the Forest Service. Within designated wil- 

 dernesses, the landing of airplanes on na- 

 tional forest land or water and the use of 

 motorboats on national forest waters are 

 prohibited, except where such use has al- 

 ready become well established or is required 

 for administrative needs and emergencies. 



Regulations further provide that wilder- 

 ness areas will not be modified or eliminated 

 except by order of the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture. Notice of every proposed establish- 

 ment, modification, or elimination will be 

 published or publicly posted by the Forest 

 Service for at least 90 days before the ap- 

 proval of the contemplated order; if there 

 is any demand for a public hearing, the 

 regional forester will hold a hearing and 

 report fully on it to the Chief of the Forest 

 Service, who will submit it with his recom- 

 mendation to the Secretary. It is the policy 

 of the Department of Agriculture to allow 

 modifications of established wilderness areas 

 only when it is clearly in the public interest 

 to sacrifice wilderness values in favor of 

 other public needs. 



Similar regulations apply to the establish- 

 ment and maintenance of the smaller wild 

 areas, except that decision is by the Chief 

 of the Forest Service instead of the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture. 



Wilderness areas are open to the public 

 without restrictions except those essential 

 for protection from fire. Hunting and fish- 

 ing are permitted in wilderness areas in 

 accordance with State laws. 



The canoe country of the Superior Road- 

 less Areas in Minnesota is unique. Many 

 lakes and miles of connecting rivers make 

 a canoe country without parallel. The canoe 

 camper, the wilderness enthusiast, or the 

 fisherman can spend weeks exploring its 

 many bays and islands or can travel from 

 lake to lake by connecting streams or by 

 short, well-marked portages. The timbered 

 shores offer excellent camp sites. Vacation 

 trips in this area may be made at low cost 

 $1.50 a day for a canoe is the whole cost 

 except for food. Only persons physically 

 unable to paddle or unable to swim need a 

 guide and most parties go without one. 



In the western mountain wilderness areas 

 travel is by foot, horseback, or burro. Any- 



