Wilderness Facts

What is Wilderness?

The word “wilderness” means different things to different people based on their experiences, beliefs, and misconceptions. The legal definition set by the U.S. Congress was published in the Wilderness Act of 1964:

(c)…is further defined to mean in this Act an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions and which (1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; (3) has at least five thousand acres of land or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition; and (4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

and …

(b) Shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreation, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation and historic use.

Why Wilderness is Important?

The Salmo Priest Wilderness is the Only Wilderness Area in NE Washington
Less than 3% of the Colville National Forest is designated Wilderness, representing less than 1% of all Wilderness designated in Washington state. There are 18 inventoried roadless areas that meet wilderness criteria in the Colville National Forest. Only 2.7% of the contiguous United States, an area about the size of South Dakota, is protected as Wilderness.

Wilderness Will Not Negatively Impact Our Region’s Timber Economy
The few remaining roadless areas under consideration for recommended wilderness in the Colville National Forest are mostly remote and relatively inaccessible because of the steep, rugged geography. Many northeast Washington timber industry leaders support or are not opposed to protecting additional wilderness areas.

Grazing Livestock is allowed in Designated Wilderness.
Both the Wilderness Act and Forest Service manuals state that livestock grazing that occurred before an area was designated as Wilderness “shall be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable regulations as are deemed necessary by the Secretary of Agriculture.” The Forest Service policy follows the Congressional Grazing Guidelines. Where practical alternatives do
not exist, maintenance or other activities may be accomplished by use of motorized equipment.

There are a few grazing allotments overlapping wilderness boundaries in Washington State because there were few allotments in existence when wilderness was designated. In the case of the Pasayten Wilderness, the Miller brothers willingly sold their allotment in that wilderness area – they were not forced to sell. In Montana, there are 14 separate grazing allotments that significantly overlap designated wilderness areas.

Wilderness Helps Maintain Secure Flows of Clean Water
Many of our region’s towns, farms, ranches and homestead wells rely on the Kettle Range and Selkirk Mountains as sources of water. Maintaining the integrity of these lands through protections like Wilderness is a cost-effective way to secure fresh water supplies for our future.

Wildfire, Insects and Disease in Wilderness.
The Wilderness Act states:

(1)Within wilderness areas designated by this Act the use of aircraft or motorboats, where these uses have already become established, may be permitted to continue subject to such restrictions as the Secretary of Agriculture deems desirable. In addition, such measure may be taken as may be necessary in the control of fire, insects, and diseases, subject to such conditions as the Secretary deems desirable.

Forest Service policy states that administrators should “permit lightning caused fires to play, as nearly as possible, their natural ecological role within wilderness” but also to “reduce, to an acceptable level, the risks and consequences of wildfire within wilderness or escaping from wilderness … to… reduce unnatural buildups of fuels” and reintroduce a more natural fire regime to the Wilderness area. According to the Colville National Forest Plan, “all wildfires will receive an appropriate suppression response. Apply aggressive suppression action to wildfires that threaten life, private property, public safety, improvements, or investments.”

Wilderness Secures a Piece of History for Future Generations

As our region’s population increases undeveloped, untamed lands provide an opportunity for us to experience the freedom, challenge, and solitude that helped shape our forefathers and our uniquely American culture. Wilderness is a place where we can connect with the past and be reminded of how the American frontier shaped our values of freedom, self-reliance, and perseverance.

Wilderness Is Good for Our Local Economy and Provides Refuge for Wildlife and Plants

Wilderness provides refuge for imperiled wildlife and is a repository of native plants. Wilderness is a place on the map that attracts visitors and investment because of its permanence. More than 12 million people visit Wilderness areas each year and guide outfitting is permitted. Wheelchair use by the disabled is also allowed in Wilderness.

Thousands of Miles of Wilderness Trails are Maintained Every Year

Trails in Wilderness are maintained using traditional hand tools like crosscut and bow saws and often rely on the horsemanship skills of packers to keep trails clear of downed trees and brush. Chainsaws have been used to open wilderness trails where non-motorized tools were not practical and the Forest Service has the prerogative to use motorized tools.

For more detailed information visit www.wilderness.net