A Wilderness Future for Wildlife Refuges (w/ Video)

The National Wildlife Refuge System includes some of the most pristine and unique wilderness areas in America. Since the Wilderness Act articulated the importance of wilderness into legislation, wilderness areas in refuges have provided an array of ecological, recreational and educational benefits to the American people. Today, roughly 21 million acres on 63 refuges are designated as wilderness for their unique wild character and ecological value. As the lead conservation organization working to protect America’s wilderness, The Wilderness Society believes that the US Fish and Wildlife Service must make the conservation of existing wilderness areas and the identification and protection of places with wilderness character a top priority. A new vision document for the National Wildlife Refuge System should reflect this commitment.

In order to fulfill this goal, a thorough wilderness review must be completed as a part of the Comprehensive Conservation Plan for each Refuge. The completion of a Wilderness Review Handbook should be a priority of the USFWS, as it will provide an objective guide for refuge managers during the review process. Once an area with wilderness character has been identified, its potential as wilderness should guide future management decisions, ensuring that its wild character is protected until it can be considered for further protection.

When management activities are needed in existing wilderness areas, they should be carefully planned to minimize their impact on the area’s wilderness character. A minimum requirement analysis—mandatory under current USFWS wilderness policy—should always be completed before conducting management activities. Once this analysis is complete, making the results available for peer and public review will ensure that the process has been thorough and objective.

Identifying areas with wilderness character and protecting existing wilderness areas will become more difficult—and more essential—as the effects of climate change increase. Wilderness will play a vital role in the conservation of species threatened by a changing climate, providing essential corridors for wildlife populations forced to seek more favorable habitat. These areas will also become important sites for the study of climate change and its effects on wildlife and plants. In recognition of these realities, current USFWS wilderness policy should be revised to reflect the threat of climate change.

Wilderness areas are essential to the mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service, as they provide vital habitat for fish, wildlife, and plants and allow educators and researchers to observe natural, intact ecosystems. By making the identification and conservation of wilderness areas within the Refuge system a top priority, the Fish and Wildlife Service will ensure that wilderness areas—and the plants and wildlife that depend upon them—will survive for the benefit of future generations of Americans.

Bill Meadows, President, The Wilderness Society