The Wilderness Act Essay

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Wilderness as defined by The Wilderness Act is, “… an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain” and "an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions” (Wilderness.net, 1964). Lyndon B. Johnson said on September 3rd, 1964, “…The two bills that I am signing this morning are in the highest tradition of our heritage, as conservators as well as users of America’s bountiful natural endowments. The Wilderness Bill preserves by posterity, for all time to come, 9 million acres of this vast continent and their original and unchanging beauty and wonder” (Johnson, 1964). When Congress and the President, Lyndon …show more content…

Section 4a removes the potential for conflict between The Wilderness Act and other laws such as the Multiple-Use, Sustained-Yield Act, and the National Park Organic Act. Section 4b reaffirms the management of wilderness units are the responsibility of the agency responsible for management before wilderness designation. Section 4c describes activities and facilities that are not allowed in wilderness designation by the act, such as temporary roads or motor vehicles. Any construction that will facilitate use, such as shelters or bridges, may only be built if they are a necessity. Section 4d contains the exceptions, or the compromises Zahniser had to make to get his act to pass, to the act, and are called allowable, but nonconforming uses (Dawson & Hendee, 2009). The exceptions are as

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