Wilderness management dilemmas: fertile ground for wilderness management research

Abstract

Increasingly, wilderness managers must choose between the objective of wildness (“untrammeled” wilderness) and the objectives of naturalness and solitude. This dilemma has surfaced with awareness of the pervasiveness of human influence in wilderness and that regulation is often the only way to maintain outstanding opportunities for solitude. Should we trammel wilderness to compensate for unnatural effects of human activity or, to avoid trammeling wilderness, should we allow conditions to become increasingly unnatural? Should we restrict access and behavior to preserve opportunities for solitude, knowing this will exacerbate supply/demand problems and deny visitors a sense of freedom and spontaneity? This paper discusses this dilemma and opportunities for research in support of different objectives.

Parent Publication

• Wilderness science in a time of change conference-Volume 1: Changing perspectives and future directions; 1999 May 23-27; Missoula, MT

Citation

Cole, David N.; Hammitt, William E. 2000. Wilderness management dilemmas: fertile ground for wilderness management research. In: Cole, David N.; McCool, Stephen F.; Freimund, Wayne A.; O''Loughlin, Jennifer, comps. 2000. Wilderness science in a time of change conference-Volume 1: Changing perspectives and future directions; 1999 May 23-27; Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-1. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 58-63