The Wilderness Preservation Act was signed into law exactly 50 years ago today. This anniversary is making headlines across the country, as it is a day for all outdoor enthusiasts to take a moment and reflect on the legacy made possible by the Wilderness Act.
To prepare you for this exciting day, we have compiled a list of important facts and resources about the Wilderness Act and the state of wilderness today.
Wilderness: The Act, Facts and Resources
1. Experience this historic event by listening to the audio recording of President Lyndon B. Johnson as he signs the Wilderness Preservation Act into law on September 3, 1964. (Hint: For maximum wilderness education, start playing this recording before continuing on to #2)
2. The definition of wilderness, as outlined in the Wilderness Act, is: “A 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.”
3. The longest time period without the addition of new wilderness began in 2009 and ended on March 4, 2014 with the designation of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.
