Why wilderness is important
But how have people regarded wilderness over the course of human history? Our perception of nature is often driven by our culture and may change depending on the era in which we live. Here are some examples of different viewpoints on nature and wilderness throughout human history:.
In ancient Greece around B. During the rule of King Ashoka in India from B. Hunting certain species of wild animals was banned, forest and wildlife reserves were established, and cruelty to domestic and wild animals was prohibited. During the Tang Dynasty in China from approximately A. This tradition has continued to influence Eastern Art throughout the centuries.
The ownership included any people, plants or animals who happened to be living there. People who have closely studied nature, its benefits to human life, and the effects of humans on the environment include Henry David Thoreau, Anna Comstock, and Rachel Carson. Their endeavors signaled a change in the Western viewpoint of wilderness and have helped to initiate the growth of interest in and appreciation for nature that we are experiencing around the world today.
Indigenous and aboriginal people often live in close physical and spiritual connection with the land, use plants for healing, and construct their homes and tools from natural materials. These people often believe that the animals, plants, and even the landscape itself, are helpers and teachers. The past years have reflected a global effort to preserve wild places for future generations. The first three National Parks in the world were opened between , and many more soon followed.
Debs Regional Park is a wilderness area in the large, densely populated urban center of Los Angeles, California. The WILD Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving wilderness areas around the world, defines a wilderness in two ways. Wilderness is biologically intact , meaning the natural biodiversity of a place exists in some form. Wilderness is also legally protected , meaning a government has laws to limit people from developing the wilderness.
People have lived with nature for thousands of years. Because of human population growth and development, many wilderness areas are threatened. The effects of human interaction with wilderness areas can be direct, such as a campfire or poach ing. The effects can also be indirect, such as human contribution to climate change. A change in climate can limit native plant growth or lead to the growth of non-native species.
Water or air pollution from a nearby development also may threaten wilderness areas. Nearby development may prevent animals from migrating. This not only reduces the number of animals in an area, but can often prevent the pollination of certain plants, further reducing biodiversity.
In order to protect wilderness, some governments limit peoples interaction with the area. They also limit the kinds of human activities inside a wilderness area, placing restrictions on mining , logging , or even traveling by car. There are two different ways to manage a wilderness area. The first is conservation , which encourages sustainable use of natural resources.
Many wilderness areas have limited access to logging, for instance. This could mean a timber company can cut down a small number of trees each year if they replace the trees with sapling s young trees. It could also mean opening up the wilderness area to individuals for chopping down Christmas trees. The other type of wilderness management is preservation , which encourages people to preserve the wilderness by not using natural resources.
The United States government recognizes different wilderness areas in all 50 states. Wilderness provide a counterbalance to the cultivated landscape. Body and soul come to rest. This is why Wilderness areas are popular tourist destinations around the world, attract tourists and artists and strengthen rural regions. We rightly demand the protection of tropical rainforests or African savannahs. But undisturbed nature must also be possible with us. This is what the federal government wants.
Not much in international comparison. We should do that. This would not be a transfer of lands from one entity to another. The Forest Service can identify places deserving Wilderness protection, but only Congress can make it permanent by passing legislation that then must be signed into law by the President. Since any future changes would require congressional approval, this process assures an intent for permanent preservation.
The recommended wilderness boundaries are a result of several extensive public processes, dating back to the Roadless Area Review and Evaluation RARE of the s.
The public review processes from RARE I and II, the forest plan, Idaho Roadless rule and revised forest plan period included hundreds of meetings and field trips in locations accessible to all interested parties. Written comments were submitted by thousands of local residents. The Idaho portion of the proposed wilderness would designate 13, acres of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests as wilderness, only one half of one percent of the forest as a whole 2.
There is only one designated Wilderness area in western Montana, although there are vast areas of unprotected wild lands suitable for designation. Lands that have been logged are eligible for Wilderness designation if the affected areas are naturally reverting.
There are no roads in the Forest Service inventory of open or closed roads, motorized trails, or snowmobiling areas within the area proposed for wilderness. Current growth trends and future technological development could pose many threats that are hard to predict today. Areas recommended for wilderness designation by forest plans are administrative decisions, subject to shifting boundaries and reclassification as forest plans change.
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