This month marks the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964 which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on September 3, 1964. The Wilderness Act established the National Wilderness Preservation System, which protects nearly 112 million acres of federal land. However, without the persistence of the Wilderness Society, none of this could have been possible. Executive Director of the Wilderness Society, Howard Zahniser, drafted the bill in 1956 to protect the nation’s last remaining wilderness. Disappointed at no change, he wrote the first draft of what would become the Wilderness Act. After 8 years and 66 revisions, President Johnson passed the bill just 4 months after Zahniser’s passing. Although Zahniser never saw his dream come to action, he left a legacy that will be appreciated by all American generations.
Protected Wilderness Areas
The importance of the Wilderness Act of 1964 is to recognize the significance of protecting the wilderness. It has allowed Americans to preserve over 750 wilderness areas in 13 states. With this act, we are able to provide a habitat for the wildlife in those areas and provide havens for threatened species. It benefits Americans by filtering and cleaning the air we breathe and providing safe drinking water. It helps the economy with tourism and recreational dollars. With the Wilderness Act provides recreational areas where one can go to get more in tune with nature and all of Earth’s beauty. Some wilderness areas that are protected by the Wilderness Act include:
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota;
- Bridger Wilderness, Wyoming;
- Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana;
- Ansel Adams Wilderness, California.
Ways to Celebrate
If you cannot visit one of the listed wilderness areas, here are other suggestions you can do to celebrate this month.
- Visit a National Park
- With the start of fall, appreciate and capture the changing colors
- Go camping, even if it is in your own backyard
- Have a picnic at a park
- Watch the sunrise or sunset
- Go on a hike
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