From High Country News, Dec. 2009:
It's been a good year for wilderness. In March, the Omnibus Lands Bill designated over 2 million acres of wilderness in nine states. In September, President Obama declared a month-long celebration of the Wilderness Act, and this November, the United States, Canada and Mexico signed the world's first international agreement on wilderness conservation.
Perhaps because wilderness has been getting serious consideration in Washington, there's been a backlash. Proposals for new wilderness areas -- especially the big ones being debated in Utah and the Northern Rockies -- become punching bags for those who regard wilderness as a four-letter word. Opponents say it blocks access, locks up resources and worsens fire problems. They claim it hinders local use of the land, reserving it for the rich and out-of-state.
The criticisms offer an opportunity to set a few things straight...
Many of us are realizing the truth of what John Muir said over a century ago, that going into wilderness is going home. This message has critical importance in the 21st century, when the future of so much life is in the hands of humanity. In our era, it's not the size or number of wilderness areas that will save life on earth; sadly, they will always be too small and fragmented for that. Instead, it's the psychological and emotional impact that wilderness has on us. America needs wilderness to keep its soul alive.
Read the rest of the story on High Country News online...
