Keep Wilderness Values in Wilderness
By BlueRibbon Coalition Public Lands Director Adena Cook

BlueRibbon Coalition
PO Box 5449
Pocatello, ID 83202
Phone: 800.258.3742
Email: bradena@sharetrails.org

"Natural quiet" is discussed prominently in many land managing agency planning documents crossing my desk. The subject sometimes appears as a part of the "issues" section introduced by comments received. Sometimes agencies will introduce it at the start without any prompting from outside interests.

Some agencies have elevated "natural quiet" on public lands to the status of a resource as something tangible and part of the physical environment. "Natural quiet" is not a physical resource. It does not exist without the presence of human beings. These are very special human beings who are visiting public lands with a certain set of values. These values place a high priority on "natural quiet".

These values have been, since 1964, carefully described and protected in the Wilderness Act. Before public land can be considered for Wilderness designation, certain criteria must be present: "(1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation;" (Wilderness Act Sec. 1131 (c)). Since that time, "natural quiet" has come to be considered an important component of solitude and a primitive type of recreation.

Land managers use the above criteria when they are considering whether or not to recommend, in their land managing plans, a certain patch of ground for Wilderness designation by Congress. Certain roadless lands in national forests, and certain Wilderness Study Areas in BLM lands have been so recommended. So have certain areas in national parks, for example, backcountry Yellowstone. These criteria become important management considerations once Congress acts and designates an area Wilderness. Wilderness values should not be important management considerations without a congressional wilderness act.

We increasingly find, however, these wilderness values being included in management considerations for all of public land. "Natural quiet" has been inappropriately included by the National Park Service as an important consideration for the highly developed area around Old Faithful. "Natural quiet" has been included as an important consideration in the management of all BLM lands in Utah; this was a part of the draft Standards for Public Land Health and Guidelines for Recreation Management for BLM Lands in Utah.

"Natural quiet" is fine for Wilderness. To impose this component of wilderness values is not fine for the rest of public land. To elevate "natural quiet" to the status of a physical resource is ludicrous. Other sounds in the rest of public land can be appreciated, and must be acknowledged as a positive part of the experience.

For example, I appreciate the sound of a chain saw. To hear a chain saw in the distance as I'm hiking along on a trail warms my heart. It means that someone is making use of a renewable resource. It means one more home will be built to house a family. It means that children are housed and fed by the wages of a good job.

Perhaps that chain saw sound means that a home will be warm this winter. Perhaps it means that someone is gathering wood for our very own campfire that we will enjoy this evening. It could be that a trail is being cleared. I, myself, have gotten a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction out of giving that starter rope a yank, firing up the motor, and sawing logs that block the trail. It's time and labor well spent. I'm happy to provide this benefit to all who will pass.

The sound of a chain saw means progress. It means that man and nature are interacting in a mutually beneficial way. It means a useful product for people, and a place for new trees to replace the old.

We've got over 100 million acres of designated Wilderness for people with wilderness values to appreciate. There, they can find the "natural quiet" that the Wilderness Act mandates. The rest of public land is the place to appreciate other values, those that celebrate diverse recreation and productive use of natural resources.