Natural History Wanderings

Today marks the 58th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act established the National Wilderness Preservation System, which currently protects over 111 million acres of federal public land collectively managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service. Long before the signing of the Wilderness Act, there has been an essential connection between people and the land, with our existence reliant on how we relate to and steward the natural world. The concept of “wilderness” and ways to protect it will evolve over time, yet our role to care for our planet withstands.

President Joe Biden proclaimed September 2022 as National Wilderness Month. Join in on the commemoration by spending time in wilderness areas and reflecting on what wilderness means to you.