STORY OF OUR NATIONAL FOREST 147 



WILDERNESS AREAS 



The wonder is that, with equipment and or- 

 ganization so slight, throngs of such magnitude, 

 growing so rapidly year by year, can be handled 

 with safety to themselves and the forest. The doing 

 has proved it. But how far will this thing spread? 

 Out of the danger springs urgent popular demand 

 for "wilderness areas" to be set apart now for in- 

 surance sake; and out of that comes Chief Greeley*s 

 pledge of 1927: 



"It will be the aim (of the Forest Service) to 

 keep substantial portions and some of the outstand- 

 ing scenic features of the national forests available 

 for forms of recreation impossible where automo- 

 bile roads, commercial enterprises, and other popu- 

 larizing facilities for use are encouraged. Ex- 

 cluding Alaska, one-third of the gross area of the 

 national forests is in roadless areas of 10 townships 

 (that is, 230,000 acres) or more each; and even 

 when the road-and-trail programme now mapped 

 out is completed, more than one-fourth will be in 

 such areas. 



"This will not prevent the orderly use of tim- 

 ber, forage, and w T ater resources as future needs may 

 dictate. It will, however, prevent the unwise de- 

 struction of recreational values which are steadily 

 attaining greater social significance and importance. 

 The Forest Service plans to withhold these areas 

 against unnecessary road building and forms of spe- 



