derness, they could be instructed on the purpose and 

 value of wilderness, the proper way to use it, and any 

 rules and regulations regarding its use. Information 

 for visitors could be made available through environ- 

 mental education programs, the distribution of book- 

 lets and pamphlets, the news media, and administra- 

 tion of the permit system where in effect. 



There is also a need for more seasonal wilderness 

 rangers to help inform and assist visitors once they 

 are inside wildernesses. Seasonal rangers now em- 

 ployed perform a variety of functions, including col- 

 lection of resource data for wilderness management 

 planning, cleanup work, fire suppression, wilderness 

 regulation enforcement, and sign, trail and bridge 

 maintenance. More of these seasonal employees 

 could increase management effectiveness and help 

 inform the public in a manner which perpetuates wil- 

 derness values. 



Research opportunities — The ability to make 

 sound, effective planning and management decisions 

 concerning the wilderness resource will continue to 

 improve as more is learned about how the wilderness 

 resource is affected by use and management activities. 

 Managers need to understand more about the wilder- 

 ness resource, the people using it, and the impacts of 

 use on the resource if management is to meet future 

 social demands while maintaining the ecological 



integrity of existing units. Greater understanding of 

 the recreation experiences which wilderness provides 

 can be gained from visitor studies that utilize the 

 principles and concepts of the social sciences. In par- 

 ticular, current efforts to gather knowledge of visitor 

 satisfactions and benefits will enhance management 

 effectiveness and aid in the development of improved 

 techniques for resource inventory and visitor 

 management. 



The determination of baseline resource conditions 

 and development of measures to monitor impacts of 

 use on the resource needs further development to help 

 maintain the quality of the wilderness. For instance, 

 further information, including a better understanding 

 of the effects of wilderness use on water and air qual- 

 ity, wildlife behavior, human sanitation, and basic 

 ecological conditions and processes, is also needed 

 for the determination of carrying capacities. 



Finally, research is being conducted that involves 

 the development of criteria and guidelines to aid 

 managers in making decisions. Inventory systems 

 that provide information on resource attributes can 

 be useful in allocating roadless lands to wilderness. 

 Improved analytical frameworks within which the 

 consequences or trade-offs of alternative manage- 

 ment directions regarding roadless lands can be accu- 

 rately portrayed would also be useful. 



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