Wilderness

WHAT IS WILDERNESS?

The 1964 Wilderness Act states that wilderness, "�in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." Only Congress can add public land to the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness designation protects an area from logging, mining, building of roads or other permanent structures and motorized use. Examples of Wilderness areas in West Virginia are Dolly Sods Wilderness and Otter Creek Wilderness. These and our other wilderness areas are well loved and well used by West Virginian's and out-of-staters alike.

Click here to view information on the National Wilderness Preservation System and how it is distributed east vs. west and in West Virginia

Dolly Sods Wilderness � www.jonathanjessup.com

WHY WILDERNESS?

Our wild lands are disappearing at an alarming rate. They have human and ecological values that are crucial to the well being of the nation. The following are just a few of the widely recognized values associated with wilderness:

Watershed protection: clean drinking water
A refuge from the noise and clutter of industrial society
Reservoirs of biological diversity
Scientific/Medical value: an irreplaceable living laboratory
Improvement of air quality through the filtering action of plants
A place for spiritual and emotional renewal
Helps to meet the growing demand for outdoor recreation and quality hunting and fishing
Historic and cultural values
Places of great scenic beauty
Critical habitat for threatened and endangered species

WILDERNESS: MYTH & REALITY

Wilderness Legislation:

The 1964 Wilderness Act

Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1975

WILDERNESS IN WEST VIRGINIA

Eastern states contain only 4% of the National Wilderness Preservation System yet are home to nearly 60% of the US population. West Virginia is below average among eastern forests for amount of Wilderness acreage and number of areas. Currently, only 0.5% of West Virginia and less than 9% of the Monongahela National Forest is permanently protected as wilderness. Our forests and mountains are being developed and our wild places are becoming ever more rare and valuable. LET�S PROTECT THE ONES WE HAVE LEFT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!