Restoring natural conditions through the return of human-ignited fire

Jay Thomas; Clare Boerigter; Sean A. Parks; Jonathan W. Long

Treesearch

Restoring natural conditions through the return of human-ignited fire

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Jay Thomas, Clare Boerigter, Sean A. Parks, Jonathan W. Long

Year:

2025

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), January 2024. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Download (PDF 1.29 MB)

Download (PDF 1.29 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/68803.pdf

Abstract

The 1964 Wilderness Act famously defines wilderness as an area “untrammeled by man.” But what does it mean to “trammel” the wilderness? Many have interpreted trammeling as any intentional human action or manipulation that affects wilderness ecosystems, which means that any management intervention, even one aimed at helping a wilderness area’s natural conditions, must be considered a trammeling action.

Keywords

wilderness, human-ignited fire, restoration

Citation

Thomas, Jay; Boerigter, Clare; Parks, Sean; Long, Jonathan. 2025. Restoring natural conditions through the return of human-ignited fire. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), January 2024. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.