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48-706: As directed by the Wilderness Act of 1964, "The Bob", as it is informally known, is to remain roadless. The only permanent structures here are some old ranger stations and horse bridges. "The Bob" is the fifth-largest wilderness in the lower 48 states (after the Death Valley Wilderness , Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness , Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness , and Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness ). The five ranger districts administering "The Bob" manage 1,856 miles (2,987 km) of trail that are open to foot and stock use only. "The Bob", as it

96-621: A conference committee to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, the Act eventually was eventually signed into law by President Johnson on September 3, 1964. The Wilderness Act of 1964 was significant in American environmental legislation, setting a start for the federal protection of wilderness areas across the United States. It was passed with the support in both

144-652: A critical moment in the history of environmental protection but also set the stage for ongoing debates about the role of government in managing natural resources and the balance between conservation and development. The 1964 Wilderness Act, which was praised for protecting undisturbed American landscapes, encountered strong resistance from the Sagebrush Rebellion in the latter part of the 1970s. The majority of "resource Westerners" who were affected by federal environmental regulations that limited their access to public lands, such as ranchers, miners, and loggers, were

192-549: A federal land management statute meant to protect federal wilderness and to create a formal mechanism for designating wilderness. It was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society . After over sixty drafts and eight years of work, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law on September 3, 1964, creating the legal definition of wilderness in the United States and protecting 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of federal land. The Wilderness Act

240-407: A few of the bird species found. The dense old-growth forests are dominated by Douglas fir , larch , and spruce . Forest fires have changed large areas in the wilderness complex in recent years. Wilderness areas do not allow motorized or mechanical equipment, including bicycles and hang-gliders. Camping and fishing are allowed; fishing requires a state license. There are no roads and there

288-1095: A foundation that allows for many new additions of American land to be designated as wilderness. Congress considers additional proposals every year, some recommended by federal agencies and many proposed by grassroots conservation and sportsmen's organizations. Additional laws adding areas to the NWPS include: Congressional bills are pending to designate new wilderness areas in Utah, Colorado, Washington, California, Virginia, Idaho, West Virginia, Montana and New Hampshire. Grassroots coalitions are working with local congressional delegations on legislative proposals for additional wilderness areas, including Vermont, southern Arizona, national grasslands in South Dakota, Rocky Mountain peaks of Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. The U.S. Forest Service has recommended new wilderness designations, which citizen groups may propose to expand. In 2014, America celebrated "50 Years of Wilderness" and Wilderness50 which

336-566: A household in the CDP was $ 35,101, and the median income for a family was $ 38,188. Males had a median income of $ 30,000 versus $ 18,269 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 18,825. About 7.0% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over. The community is in the Seeley Lake Elementary School District and

384-608: A result of the Rice Ridge Fire , prompting local officials to urge all residents to evacuate their homes. Scooper aircraft were used to fetch water from Seeley Lake to fight the fire. A followup study will measure the health impacts of the smoke. As of the census of 2010, there were 1,659 people, 589 households, and 411 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 131.9 inhabitants per square mile (50.9/km ). There were 938 housing units at an average density of 86.2 per square mile (33.3/km ). The racial makeup of

432-460: A span of four days. One month later, the Senate also introduced a draft bill of the Wilderness Act. President John F. Kennedy , was a supporter of the Wilderness Act, his administration worked to rally Legislators to pass the bill. During the 87th Congressional session , the Senate voted and passed a version of the Wilderness Act, however it never made it to a vote in the House and its overall fate

480-546: A very specific boundary line in statutory law. Once a wilderness area has been added to the system, its protection and boundary can be altered only by Congress. The basics of the NWPS set out in the Wilderness Act are straightforward: Section 4 lists what usage is not allowed on land protected by the NWPS, and define the exceptions to the rules. Prohibited actions include: Sections 5, 6, and 7 discuss how Congress shall handle acquisition of more land, gifts, and addition of new designated wilderness areas. Some topics surrounding

528-592: Is a growing coalition of federal agencies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and other wilderness user groups has been created to document this historical commemoration honoring America's "True American Legacy of Wilderness". A series of projects and events were held to commemorate the 50th year of the Wilderness Act, including community museum, airport and visitor center displays; National website and social media campaign; Smithsonian photography exhibition; Washington D.C. Wilderness Week in September, and

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576-519: Is approximately 60 miles (97 km) west of Great Falls, Montana ; 50 miles (80 km) north of Missoula , and 30 miles (48 km) east of Kalispell ; all of the communities have airports with commercial flights. The wilderness was administratively created in 1940 from the South Fork, Pentagon, and Sun River Primitive Areas (which were designated in the 1930s). Passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964 provided for this wilderness to become part of

624-545: Is in northeastern Missoula County and is bordered to the north by Powell County . The southern half of Seeley Lake, the water body, is in the northwest part of the census-designated place. The Clearwater River forms the southwest edge of the community, flowing out of the lake and running south toward the Blackfoot River , part of the watershed of the Clark Fork River . Montana Highway 83 passes through

672-475: Is known by locals and nicknamed by the U.S. Forest Service employees, ranges in altitudes of 4,000 to more than 9,000 feet (1,220 to 2750 m). A long escarpment known as the Chinese Wall averages 1,000 feet (300 m) high from its base and extends for 22 miles (35 km). With numerous waterfalls, lakes, and dense forests, the wilderness is prime Grizzly bear habitat; the U.S. Forest Service claims that

720-603: Is no logging or mining , in compliance with the Wilderness Act. Some administrative cabins constructed in the early 1920s afford refuge for trail crews and wilderness rangers. Wilderness areas within National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas allow hunting in season. The wilderness, along with the adjoining Scapegoat and Great Bear wildernesses , make up the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex , with components administered by

768-520: Is part of the Missoula metropolitan area . The town sits beside the 1,030-acre (420 ha) Seeley Lake. The population was 1,682 at the 2020 census . The community of Seeley Lake is named for Jasper B. Seely, who built a cabin on what was in 1881 known as Clearwater Lake. Seely served as the first ranger on the Lewis and Clarke Forest Reserve . The first road to Seeley Lake came in 1895. Seeley Lake

816-596: Is to the north and separates the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex from Glacier National Park . U.S. 89 and 287 are to the east, and Montana highways 200 and 83 are to the south and west. Popular points of entry from the west are located near the communities of Swan Lake , Seeley Lake , Lincoln , and Hungry Horse . From the east, the Bob Marshall Wilderness is accessible from Augusta , Choteau and Dupuyer . The wilderness

864-450: Is well known for its succinct and poetic definition of wilderness: "A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." – Howard Zahniser When Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act on September 3, 1964, it created

912-559: The Köppen Climate Classification system, Seeley Lake has a warm-summer humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Seeley Lake was 102 °F (38.9 °C) on July 7, 2007, while the coldest temperature recorded was −53 °F (−47.2 °C) on January 7, 1937. In late summer 2017, Seeley Lake suffered an extended period of hazardous air quality as

960-563: The Library of Congress . The report was completed a year later, and the results released the data that had been requested which provided more information on the current state of federal land. In 1956, about seven years later, the first committee hearings began in House and Senate on the topic of protecting Wildlife Refuge areas. The first drafts of the Wilderness Act were introduced in the House in January 1957, where 6 bills were introduced over

1008-633: The Lolo , Flathead , Helena , and Lewis and Clark National Forests , respectively. All three wildernesses total 1,535,352 acres (6,213.35 km). The wilderness is located in parts of Flathead , Lewis and Clark , Powell , Teton , Missoula , and Pondera counties, and lies mostly within Flathead National Forest (70.3%) and partially within Lewis and Clark National Forest . The wilderness can be accessed by trails (via foot travel or on horseback) from surrounding roads. U.S. Route 2

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1056-747: The National Parks System , National Forests , and primitive areas . Unfortunately, many of these designations came short of providing the necessary protections needed to keep the land preserved for future generations. The shortcomings of previous protections were exclaimed by efforts to develop protected lands for mining and energy utilization, a prominent example is the Echo Park Dam controversy at Dinosaur National Monument .The encroachment on existing protected land motivated conservationists to lobby Congress to add additional protections to wilderness land, in particular, Howard Zahniser wrote

1104-530: The National Wilderness Conference . The Wilderness Act of 1964 is a pivotal legislation governing the preservation and management of wilderness areas in the United States. It provides a framework for Congress to designate federally managed lands as wilderness areas and mandates federal land agencies to manage these areas in a manner consistent with their natural wilderness character. Celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in September 2014,

1152-547: The National Wilderness Preservation System . The wilderness is named in honor of Bob Marshall , a forester with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). During the 1930s, he ensured the promulgation of regulations to protect such areas by designating as roadless large areas within lands administered by the USFS. Wilderness Act The Wilderness Act of 1964 ( Pub. L.   88–577 ) is

1200-512: The National Wilderness Preservation System . The initial statutory wilderness areas, designated in the Act, comprised 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of national forest wilderness areas in the United States of America previously protected by administrative orders. The current amount of areas designated by the NWPS as wilderness totals 757 areas encompassing 109.5 million acres of federally owned land in 44 states and Puerto Rico (5% of

1248-495: The 50th anniversary in 2014, it encompassed over 109 million acres across 758 areas in 44 states. This expansion has been largely due to the bipartisan support wilderness designations often receive, reflecting a shared value across the political spectrum. Seeley Lake, Montana Seeley Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Missoula County , Montana , United States. It

1296-416: The Act has facilitated the protection of over 109 million acres of public land. The commemorative symposium, "The Wilderness Act at 50," organized by Lewis & Clark Law School, brought together experts to discuss various facets of the Act's evolution and impact. Notably, discussions delved into the role of litigation in shaping wilderness management, emphasizing strategic decisions by plaintiffs. Moreover,

1344-752: The Act remained unanswered, which has prompted future actions and controversies. When the Wilderness Act was passed, it ignored lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management because of uncertainty of policy makers surrounding the future of those areas. The uncertainty was clarified in 1976 with the passing of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act , which stated that land managed by the Bureau of Land Management would remain federally owned and, between March 1978 and November 1980, would be reviewed to possibly be classified as wilderness. Some argue that

1392-538: The CDP was 96.94% White , 0.07% African American , 1.46% Native American , 0.21% Asian , 0.49% from other races , and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population. There were 589 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who

1440-473: The Interior, emerged as a key player in this situation. During his tenure, he worked to extend the scope of mineral rights to include coal and oil, a goal that suited the interests of people impacted by the Wilderness Act and other environmental laws. Watt aimed to reduce federal constraints and give local governments more authority over land management choices. These efforts were perceived as a direct answer to

1488-581: The Senate (73–12) and the House of Representatives (373–1), showing bipartisan agreement on the importance of preserving natural landscapes for future generations. This act established the National Wilderness Preservation System, defining wilderness as areas, according to Wilderness Society president Howard Zahniser, "where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man." It also stopped most forms of development and motorized vehicles in these areas. The success of

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1536-657: The Wilderness Act and the growing federal oversight of environmental protection, opposition movements like the Sagebrush rebellion and the Wise use movement emerged, particularly in the American West. These movements represented a shift in the political landscape, fighting against what they saw as federal overreach and advocating for states' rights and individual property rights over public land management. The conflict over wilderness protection and public land management showed

1584-537: The Wilderness Act had a lot to do with the groups who supported it. These groups included not only environmental organizations like the Wilderness Society and the Sierra Club but also labor and civic groups, showing great public interest in preserving America's wilderness. The Wilderness Act of 1964 included a few provisions (sections), that covered different aspects its implementation. Section 2 of

1632-426: The Wilderness Act provides a justification for and definition of what constitutes an area of land as wilderness. Wilderness Act land is chosen from existing federal land and by determining which areas are considered to meet the following criteria: Section 3 of the Act outlines the creation and regulation of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). When Congress designates each wilderness area, it includes

1680-416: The administrating agencies to ban bicycles from wilderness areas based on the statutory text prohibiting "other mechanical forms of transport". It is noteworthy that mountain bikes did not exist when the Wilderness Act was enacted, hence they were not explicitly identified in the statute. The prohibition on bicycles has led to opposition from mountain bikers to the opening of new wilderness areas. Because of

1728-538: The community, leading south 14 miles (23 km) to Montana Highway 200 at Clearwater Junction and north 74 miles (119 km) to Bigfork . The city of Missoula is 52 miles (84 km) to the southwest via highways 83 and 200. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the Seeley Lake CDP has a total area of 13.1 square miles (34 km ), of which 12.3 square miles (32 km ) are land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km ), or 6.63%, are water. According to

1776-482: The criteria to determine wilderness are vague and open to interpretation. For example, one criterion for wilderness is that it be roadless, and the act does not define the term roadless. Wilderness advocacy groups and some agency staff have attempted to use this standard: "the word 'roadless' refers to the absence of roads that have been improved and maintained by mechanical means." For more information, see Revised Statute 2477 . The Wilderness Act has been interpreted by

1824-540: The demands of the Sagebrush Rebellion. Due to regulatory rollbacks which were perceived as a decrease in federal government control over Western lands, the Sagebrush Rebellion temporarily felt victorious due to its alliance with the Reagan administration. The pioneering research and advocacy work of Margaret and Olaus Murie and Celia Hunter, along with the Alaska Conservation Society, was crucial to

1872-495: The first draft of the Wilderness Act. The Wilderness Act of 1964 went through numerous discussions and drafts before finally being enacted during the 88th Congress. The concept of developing a Federal Wilderness system through Congress began to be seriously explored in 1948 when a group of Congressional members requested a report be compiled on the topic through the Legislative Reference Service within

1920-555: The growing division in American environmental politics, showing bigger cultural and ideological divides. This period of environmental opposition not only challenged the principles of federal land management but also contributed to the reorganization of political ideas, playing a role in the evolution of the New Right and the Republican Party's stance on environmental regulations. The Wilderness Act, therefore, not only marked

1968-552: The land in the United States). Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, there were growing concerns about the rapidly growing population in America after World War II , a period known as a baby boom . Additionally, American transportation systems grew in size which made transportation easier and increased environmental concerns. A leading concern was that environmental degradation would have an impact on air and water quality, this

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2016-535: The ones who initiated this backlash. The Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, which changed the Bureau of Land Management's emphasis from resource extraction to conservation, was a major source of dispute because it significantly restricted these groups' ability to make a living. Many in the West were unhappy as a result of this alleged government overreach and saw it as "federal colonialism." James G. Watt, nominated by President Ronald Reagan as Secretary of

2064-635: The passage of the Wilderness Act, and to the creation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Margaret Murie testified passionately before Congress in favor of the Wilderness Act. Margaret worked with Wilderness Society staffer Howard Zahniser , author of the bill, to promote passage of the act, and she attended the signing ceremony. As of 2014, the National Wilderness Preservation System comprised over 109 million acres (441,000 km²), involving federal lands administered by four agencies: The Wilderness Act has created

2112-488: The population density of this species is higher in "The Bob" than can be found anywhere else in the U.S. outside of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem or Alaska . The Bob is also home to many other large mammals, such as moose , elk , black bear , mountain goat , bighorn sheep , wolverine , cougar , Canadian lynx , and wolf . Bald eagles , osprey , pelican , and trumpeter swan are just

2160-589: The symposium highlighted the National Environmental Policy Act's (NEPA) significant influence on promoting wilderness designation and constraining agency management practices in wilderness areas. Overall, the Wilderness Act remains a cornerstone of wilderness preservation, subject to ongoing refinement to ensure the enduring protection of these natural treasures. Over the decades, the Wilderness System has grown steadily. By

2208-450: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.89. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.1 males. The median income for

2256-495: Was partly addressed by the initial passage of the Clean Air Act in 1963. The problem of American wilderness still persisted even after attempts to regulate pollutants. Part of America's identity was the vast untamed wilderness that was untouched by humans, which had fallen to about 2.5% of the total land in America by the 1960s. Previous efforts to conserve nature had yielded public land designations and protections such as

2304-597: Was regarded as uncertain at the time. Early in the 88th Congressional term , the Senate debated and eventually passed the Wilderness Bill in April 1963. After President Kennedy's assassination , President Lyndon B Johnson continued the executive efforts for the Wilderness Act to be passed. During a press conference on June 23, 1963, President Johnson included the Wilderness Act as a piece of legislation that needed to be passed in his list of 30 "musts." After going to

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