Is Wilderness the Answer--Is Less Access Better?

Idaho is fortunate to have some of the largest and most spectacular wildernesses in the contiguous United States. Almost 5 million acres have been set aside in Idaho to assure us an enduring resource of wilderness, places in which the forces of nature prevail, where man is a visitor who does not remain and his works are substantially unnoticeable.

The drive for more Idaho wildernesses continues with another wilderness bills being considered in Congress this session. This bill will designate almost 319,000 acres as wilderness. The good intentions of the authors are not in question but all should question the purpose and need for additional acres to be designated wilderness.

It wasn’t long ago that our public lands were considered a ‘curse’; now they are perceived as one of our greatest ‘blessings’. We once valued these lands only for their contributions to the economy. Today, however, we cherish them for what they add to our quality of life. Over 80% of Idaho’s citizens regularly participate in at least one outdoor recreation activity. As additional rural land is developed and closed to the general population, we need our public lands more than ever. These lands must be managed in a manner that sustains their ecosystems and resources for both present and future generations. Emphasis can and should vary from building roads and harvesting various commodities to leaving the land in its natural state. We need lands where managers can utilize a full toolbox to enhance wildlife and fish habitat, manage fuels and fire, maintain forest health, improve water quality and accommodate a wide range of recreation experiences in quality settings.

Idahoans do not have to choose between just two alternatives in allocating their public lands, intensive development (the least restrictive) or wilderness (the most restrictive). We have many options between these two extremes. Keep in mind that the vast majority of public use takes place on our non-wilderness lands while only 3% visit designated wildernesses. We definitely need quality, undeveloped public lands for a broad spectrum of uses that cannot be met solely by designating more wildernesses.

Those of us fortunate enough to live in the great state of Idaho need to deliberate long and hard about the future of our public lands before committing them to an irrevocable course and purpose. We and the generations that follow us will have to live with the decisions we make—live with, or without the opportunities our public lands can provide.