As summer arrives, millions of Americans embark on trips to state and national parks, eager to explore the nation’s vast outdoor recreational opportunities. Many will venture into the country’s wilderness areas – 110 million acres, primarily located in the West, that are safeguarded by the most stringent federal conservation regulations.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 defined these areas as places that evoke mystery and wonder, “where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” These wild landscapes present nature in its most pristine form, and the law mandates that the federal government protect them “for the permanent good of the whole people.”
Wilderness areas are found within national parks, conservation land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, national forests, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife refuges. However, a recent proposal introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, a Nevada Republican, suggests selling federal lands in six counties in Nevada and Utah, five of which contain wilderness areas. Ostensibly aimed at promoting affordable housing, this proposal deviates from the standard process of federal land exchanges that balance development with wilderness protection.
As environmental historians, we believe that everyone benefits from the existence and protection of these precious places, regardless of whether they visit public lands or recognize wilderness boundaries. This idea was eloquently articulated 65 years ago by the noted Western writer Wallace Stegner. His eloquence helped launch the modern environmental movement and emphasized that the nation’s public lands are fundamental to the United States’ national identity and a cornerstone of American freedom.
The Wilderness Letter
In 1958, Congress established the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission to examine outdoor recreation in the U.S. David E. Pesonen, a member of the commission, sought Stegner’s help in articulating the wilderness idea. Stegner’s response, known as the Wilderness Letter, connected the concept of wilderness to a fundamental aspect of American identity. He described wilderness as “something that has helped form our character and that has certainly shaped our history as a people.”
Stegner argued that without wild places, the U.S. would become like other overindustrialized nations. He emphasized that the freedom to protect and restrain from consuming was as important as the freedom to consume. Wilderness, to him, was “an intangible and spiritual resource” that contributed to the nation’s “hope and excitement” and was essential for Americans’ spiritual health.
Lasting Impact
Stegner’s Wilderness Letter became a rallying cry for the passage of the Wilderness Act. The letter’s closing sentences are particularly noteworthy: “We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope.” This phrase, “the geography of hope,” has become synonymous with the concept of wilderness.
Stegner revisited these themes in his 1983 essay “The Best Idea We Ever Had: An Overview.” He described national parks as “Absolutely American, absolutely democratic,” reflecting the nation at its best. Public lands, including wilderness areas, provide numerous benefits, from natural resources and wildlife habitats to clean air, water, and recreational opportunities.
As Americans visit their public lands this summer, Stegner’s words remain relevant. With increasing visitor numbers and historically low agency budgets, it’s essential to remember the value of these places to all Americans. We agree with Stegner that wilderness and public lands are more valuable to Americans’ collective identity and expression of freedom than they are as real estate or commodities to be extracted.
