RAD decisions in rad landscapes: Minong, Isle Royale National Park
| Authors: | Kira Hefty, Jaclyn Rushing, Sam Flake, Seth Moore, Tim Miller, Matthew Petz-Giguere, Lynette Potvin, Mark Romanski, Denice Swank, Gregor W. Schuurman, David J. Lawrence |
| Year: | 2026 |
| Type: | Not categorized |
| Station: | Rocky Mountain Research Station |
| Source: | Final Report. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute. |
Abstract
Climate change is contributing to unprecedented rates of ecological transformation worldwide. Shifts in species composition and habitat have implications for ecosystem function and human relationships. The 1964 Wilderness Act was passed to preserve undeveloped large landscapes in their “natural” condition and for the continued use and enjoyment of people. Nevertheless, wilderness is still vulnerable to the direct and indirect impacts of climate change. Using active management to respond to climate change challenges in wilderness is complicated by the very protections afforded to wilderness that limit human impacts. This dichotomy manifests as a wicked problem for land stewards who are grappling with how to prepare for or respond to climate change-driven ecological transformation.