monitoring changes in wilderness character why, what, and how 1
TRANSCRIPT
Monitoring Changes inWilderness Character
Why, What, and How
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Monitoring Changes inWilderness Character
Peter LandresEcologist, USDA Forest
ServiceAldo Leopold Wilderness
Research Institute
Chris BarnsWilderness Specialist, BLM
National Landscape Conservation System
Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center
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The Interagency Wilderness Policy Council has said that the 4 wilderness managing agencies will have baseline
monitoring for EVERY wilderness completed by 2014
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Review legal and policy mandates
Outline practical stewardship rationale
Define “wilderness character”
Describe monitoring indicators
Monitoring Changes inWilderness Character
Interagency Wilderness Character Monitoring
Team
Monitoring Changes inWilderness Character
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2 from BLM2 from FWS
2 from FS2 from NPS
1 from USGS
“…provide for…the preservation of their wilderness character…”
The Wilderness Act, Sec 2(a)
“…each agency administering any…wilderness shall be responsible for preserving the wilderness character…”
The Wilderness Act, Sec 4(b)
“…administer…to preserve its wilderness character…”
The Wilderness Act, Sec 4(b)
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Wilderness Character inLaw
BLM: 43 CFR 6300. Background8560.02 and .06
FWS: 610 FW 1-5
FS: FSM 2320.2 and .14
NPS: NPS 6.1 and .3
Wilderness Character inAgency Policy
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Fulfill purpose of the Wilderness Act & improve accountability
Understand consequences of decisions and actionsIntegrate stewardship across all staff areasProvide enduring legacy informationGuard against legal vulnerability
Wilderness CharacterWhy Monitor?
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“…an improper evaluation of the wilderness character of the area….”
Barnes v. Babbitt (D. Ariz.) (2004)
“‘Natural conditions’…are part of the ‘wilderness character’ to be preserved.”
Wilderness Soc. v. USFWS (9th Cir. En banc) (2003)
“…that action degrades the wilderness character….”
Izaak Walton League v. Kimbell (D. Minn.) (2007)
“[The decision] is in direct contradiction of the mandate to preserve the wilderness character.”
OLYM Park Assoc. v. Mainella (West. D. WA) (2005)
Wilderness Character inCourt
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Wilderness “X” at time of designation
Modern Human Influence
moreless
Wild
ern
ess
Ch
ara
cte
r
imp
rov
ed
deg
rad
ed
Wilderness Character in Stewardship
stable
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Wilderness “X” at time of designation
Modern Human Influence
moreless
Wild
ern
ess
Ch
ara
cte
r
imp
rov
ed
deg
rad
ed
Wilderness Character in Stewardship
stable
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Wilderness “X” at time of designation
Modern Human Influence
moreless
Wild
ern
ess
Ch
ara
cte
r
imp
rov
ed
deg
rad
ed
Wilderness Character in Stewardship
stable
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Wilderness “X” at time of designation
Modern Human Influence
moreless
Wild
ern
ess
Ch
ara
cte
r
imp
rov
ed
deg
rad
ed
Wilderness Character in Stewardship
stable
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“The purpose of the Wilderness Act is to preserve the wilderness character of the areas to be included in the wilderness system, not to establish any particular use.”
Howard Zahniser
Wilderness Character in Stewardship
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Wilderness “characteristics”
ARE NOT THE SAME AS
Wilderness Character
Wilderness Character is more than the sum of its
parts
Wilderness CharacterWhat Is It?
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“an enduring resource of wilderness”
NOT
“resources”
Wilderness CharacterWhat Is It?
Wilderness Act of 1964
“wilderness character”
Section 2(c) Definition of Wilderness
Qualities ofWilderness Character
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“…affected primarily by the forces of nature…”
Untrammeled
Wilderness Character: Qualities
“…an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man…”
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Unmanipulated
Free
Uncontrolled
Wild
Wilderness Character: QualitiesUntrammeled
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UntrammeledDegraded by actions that manipulate, control, or hinder “the community of life”
Wilderness Character: Qualities
Spraying weeds
Killing predators
Collaring
Suppressing / lighting fires
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesUntrammeled
Wilderness is essentially unhindered and free from modern human control or
manipulation• 19
“...protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions….”
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
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Untrammeled: decisions or actions
Natural: effects
“...protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions….”
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
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Untrammeled: management decision
Natural: condition of the land
NaturalUntrammeled
“...protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions….”
Wilderness Character: Qualities
Vegetation
Wildlife
Air, Water, Soil
Ecological Processes • 22
NaturalUntrammeled
Degraded by effects (intended or unintended) of modern civilization
Wilderness Character: Qualities
Non-native species
Extirpation
Pollution
Interference with ecological
processes• 23
Wilderness ecological systems are substantially free from the effects of
modern civilization
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
Undeveloped“…undeveloped…land retaining…primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements…”
“...where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”
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“We stand without our mechanisms that make us immediate masters over our environment.”Howard Zahniser
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
Undeveloped
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“In order to assure that…growing mechanization does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States…”
TheWilderness Act, § 2(a)
Degraded by structures and tools that facilitate our ability to occupy or modify the environment
Wilderness Character: Qualities
Structures
Installations
Aircraft
Motors
Mechanical transport
NaturalUntrammeled
Undeveloped
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
Undeveloped
Wilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially without permanent improvement or modern human
occupation
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined Recreation“…outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation…”
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined Recreation
Traditional / Primitive Skills
Challenge & Self-discovery
Connection & Freedom
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined Recreation
Encounters
Facilities
Restrictions
Degraded by settings that reduce these opportunities
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined Recreation
Wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive
and unconfined recreation • 32
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined RecreationUnique“may also contain ecological, geological, … scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.”
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined RecreationUnique
May also be part of Natural
quality
Cultural
Paleontological• 34
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined RecreationUnique
May also be part of Natural
quality
Cultural
Paleontological• 35
Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined RecreationUnique
Loss of scientific knowledge
Loss of existence / bequest / spiritual
Degraded by
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined RecreationUnique
Wilderness may have unique qualities which must be protected consistent with a
wilderness context
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesNaturalUntrammeled
UndevelopedSolitude or Primitive and Unconfined RecreationUnique
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Five distinct and equally important qualities that are inter-related
Each wilderness may have unique aspects of all five qualities
Wilderness character is affected by stewardship decisions to take action or not to take action
There are additional implications:
Wilderness Character: Qualities
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Example: eradicating non-native invasive species
Control of exotic plants may improve the Natural quality
Control of exotic plants degrades the Untrammeled quality
Wilderness Character: QualitiesImplications for ManagementA single action may
improve one Quality while degrading another
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesImplications for Management
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Change Relativ
e to 2010
Baseline 2015 2020 2025
Untrammeled
Natural
Spraying herbicides to eradicate nonnative
plants
? ?
Example: artificial water sources for desert wildlife
Decision to manipulate degrades the Untrammeled quality
Altered water use patterns may degrade the Natural quality
Presence of the structure degrades the Undeveloped quality
Bighorn survival may improve the Natural quality
Wilderness Character: QualitiesImplications for ManagementA single decision or
action may degrade more than one Quality
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Primary purpose is to improve on-the-ground wilderness stewardship
Applies to every wildernessProvides a national assessment
of trendsUses 13 indicators that were
selected to be relevant, credible, cost-efficient
Uses at least one measure per indicator
Uses data that already are (or should be) collected, or are available nationally
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UntrammeledWilderness is essentiallyunhindered and free frommodern human control or manipulation
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UntrammeledWilderness is essentiallyunhindered and free frommodern human control or manipulation
What are the trends in actions thatcontrol or manipulate the “earth and itscommunity of life” inside wilderness?
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
UntrammeledWilderness is essentiallyunhindered and free frommodern human control or manipulation
What are the trends in actions thatcontrol or manipulate the “earth and itscommunity of life” inside wilderness?
Actions authorized by the Federal land manager that manipulate the biophysical environment
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
UntrammeledWilderness is essentiallyunhindered and free frommodern human control or manipulation
What are the trends in actions thatcontrol or manipulate the “earth and itscommunity of life” inside wilderness?
Actions authorized by the Federal land manager that manipulate the biophysical environment
Actions not authorized by the Federal land manager that manipulate the biophysical environment
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
UntrammeledWilderness is essentiallyunhindered and free frommodern human control or manipulation
What are the trends in actions thatcontrol or manipulate the “earth and itscommunity of life” inside wilderness?
Actions authorized by the Federal land manager that manipulate the biophysical environment
Actions not authorized by the Federal land manager that manipulate the biophysical environment
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Determined by agency
Quality Question Indicator Measures
NaturalWilderness ecologicalsystems are substantiallyfree from the effects ofmodern civilization
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
NaturalWilderness ecologicalsystems are substantiallyfree from the effects ofmodern civilization
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural resources inside wilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
NaturalWilderness ecologicalsystems are substantiallyfree from the effects ofmodern civilization
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural resources inside wilderness?
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural processes inside wilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
NaturalWilderness ecologicalsystems are substantiallyfree from the effects ofmodern civilization
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural resources inside wilderness?
Plant and animal species and communities
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural processes inside wilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
NaturalWilderness ecologicalsystems are substantiallyfree from the effects ofmodern civilization
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural resources inside wilderness?
Plant and animal species and communities
Physical resources
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural processes inside wilderness?
Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
NaturalWilderness ecologicalsystems are substantiallyfree from the effects ofmodern civilization
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural resources inside wilderness?
Plant and animal species and communities
Physical resources
What are the trends in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric natural processes inside wilderness?
Biophysical processes
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
What are the trends in non-recreationaldevelopment inside wilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
What are the trends in non-recreationaldevelopment inside wilderness?
What are the trends in mechanizationinside wilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
What are the trends in non-recreationaldevelopment inside wilderness?
Non-recreational structures, installations, and developments
What are the trends in mechanizationinside wilderness?
Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
What are the trends in non-recreationaldevelopment inside wilderness?
Non-recreational structures, installations, and developments
Inholdings
What are the trends in mechanizationinside wilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
What are the trends in non-recreationaldevelopment inside wilderness?
Non-recreational structures, installations, and developments
Inholdings
What are the trends in mechanizationinside wilderness?
Use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport
Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
UndevelopedWilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially withoutpermanent improvementor modern humanoccupation
What are the trends in non-recreationaldevelopment inside wilderness?
Non-recreational structures, installations, and developments
Inholdings
What are the trends in mechanizationinside wilderness?
Use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport
What are the trends in cultural resources inside wilderness?
Loss of statutorily protected culturalresources
Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
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by
ag
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for primitive andunconfined recreation insidewilderness?
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
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by
ag
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
Remoteness from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for primitive andunconfined recreation insidewilderness?
Dete
rmin
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by
ag
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
Remoteness from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness
Remoteness from occupied and modified areas outside the wilderness
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for primitive andunconfined recreation insidewilderness?
Dete
rmin
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by
ag
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Death Valley night sky
Las VegasLos Angeles
Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
Remoteness from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness
Remoteness from occupied and modified areas outside the wilderness
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for primitive andunconfined recreation insidewilderness?
Facilities that decrease self-reliant recreation D
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Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
Remoteness from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness
Remoteness from occupied and modified areas outside the wilderness
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for primitive andunconfined recreation insidewilderness?
Facilities that decrease self-reliant recreation
Management restrictions on visitor behavior
Dete
rmin
ed
by
ag
en
cy
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Quality Question Indicator Measures
Solitude or Primitiveand UnconfinedRecreation
Wilderness providesoutstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfinedrecreation
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for solitude insidewilderness?
Remoteness from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness
Remoteness from occupied and modified areas outside the wilderness
What are the trends in outstandingopportunities for primitive andunconfined recreation insidewilderness?
Facilities that decrease self-reliant recreation
Management restrictions on visitor behavior
Wilderness Character: QualitiesHow to Monitor
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Dete
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Some measures are counted once every 5-years, some every year
Significance of change defined by agency
Baseline for evaluating change is the time of wilderness designation (if data exist) or the first time this monitoring is conducted
Trend for each indicator is assessed as “improving,” “stable,” or “degrading”
Consistent rules used to roll up indicator trends to assess trend for the entire wilderness once every 5 years
Wilderness Character:Applying the Strategy
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DOES NOT monitor the full range of conditions and meanings of wilderness character
DOES NOT monitor the full range of resources needed to manage a wilderness
DOES NOT replace specific site, resource, or project monitoring
DOES NOT provide a numerical value or absolute rating of wilderness character
DOES NOT compare one wilderness to another
Wilderness Character:Applying the Strategy
• 71
Monitoring Trends
in Wildernes
s Character
Agency-specific Data
Management
Agency-specific
Technical Guide
Wilderness Character:Applying the Strategy
• 72
“We must then do two things: we must see that an adequate system of wilderness areas is designated for preservation; and then we must allow nothing to alter the wilderness character of the preserves.”
H. Zahniser, “Wilderness Forever,” 1961
Wilderness Character
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Wilderness Character
FOR MORE INFORMATION
go to
Wilderness Character Toolbox
onwww.wilderness.n
et• 74
Monitoring Changes inWilderness Character
Why, What, and How
• 75