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38-761: Conceived on March 11, 1910, by James P. Taylor who was at the time the Assistant Headmaster of the Vermont Academy in Windsor, Vermont. Taylor lobbied other Vermont residents who shared his dream of a mission to "make the Vermont mountains play a larger part in the life of the people by protecting and maintaining the Long Trail system and fostering, through education, the stewardship of Vermont's hiking trails and mountains". In 1910, work began on

76-639: A state by state basis and determines which areas and how much land in each area will become part of the WPS. There have been multiple occasions in which Congress designated more federal land than had been recommended by the nominating agency. Where as the Wilderness Act stipulated that a wilderness area must be "administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness",

114-549: Is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions". As of 2023 , 806 wilderness areas have been designated, totaling 111,889,002 acres (45,279,873 ha; 452,798.73 km ; 174,826.566 sq mi), which comprise about 4.5% of the land area of the United States . During the 1950s and 1960s, as the American transportation system was on the rise, concern for clean air and water quality began to grow. A conservation movement began to take place with

152-664: Is under federal ownership and management, (2) the area consists of at least five thousand acres of land, (3) human influence is "substantially unnoticeable," (4) there are opportunities for solitude and recreation, and (5) the area possesses "ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value." Wilderness areas are subject to specific management restrictions; human activities are limited to non-motorized recreation (such as backpacking , camping , hunting , fishing , horseback riding, etc.), scientific research , and other non-invasive activities. During these activities, patrons are asked to abide by

190-591: The Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1975, which added 16 national forest areas to the NWPS, allowed for the inclusion of areas that had been severely modified by human interference. The Wilderness Act provides criteria for lands being considered for wilderness designation. Though there are some exceptions, the following conditions must be present for an area to be included in the NWPS: (1) the land

228-623: The Leave No Trace policy. This policy sets guidelines for using the wilderness responsibly and leaving the area as it was before usage. These guidelines include: Packing all trash out of the wilderness, using a stove as opposed to a fire, camping at least 200 feet (61 m) from trails or water sources, staying on marked trails, and keeping group size small. When closely observed, the Leave No Trace ethos ensures that wilderness areas remain untainted by human interaction. In general,

266-562: The National Park Service , the U.S. Forest Service , the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , and the Bureau of Land Management . The term wilderness is defined as "an area where the earth and 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 permanent improvements or human habitation, which

304-664: The Pelican Island Wilderness in northern Florida , which measures just 6 acres (2.4 ha) total. The smallest area preserved in the system was formerly the Rocks and Islands Wilderness in Northern California at 5 acres (2.0 ha), but after a reassessment by the Bureau of Land Management in 2006 it was officially expanded to 19 acres (7.7 ha). On November 7, 2009, an agreement between

342-600: The Revere Copper and Brass Company ). On the afternoon of Sunday, December 1, 1946, she set out on a hike by herself on the Long Trail from Woodford Hollow heading northbound in the direction of Glastenbury Mountain. Despite repeated and extensive searches of the area by local police, the National Guard and many volunteers, nothing was ever found. Foul play is suspected in her disappearance. Crime novelist Hillary Waugh based his book Last Seen Wearing on

380-748: The Club has protected almost 80 miles of the Long Trail System, conserved 25,099 acres, and completed 89 land and easement acquisitions since 1986. Moreover, The GMC publishes guidebooks, newsletters, and other printed media that serve hikers who wish to walk the Long Trail. The Green Mountain Club maintains the 272 mile Long Trail in cooperation with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, U.S. Forest Service , National Park Service , Appalachian Trail Conservancy , and private landowners. The Green Mountain Club also manages

418-857: The Forest Service's Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE) process. The Bureau of Land Management was not required to review its lands for inclusion in the NWPS until after October 21, 1976, when the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 was signed into law; designation of wilderness areas on BLM lands began in 1978. Over 200 wilderness areas have been created within Bureau of Land Management administered lands since then, consisting of approximately 8.71 million acres (3,520,000 ha) in September 2015. As of August 2008, 704 separate wilderness areas, encompassing 107,514,938 acres (43,509,752 ha), had become part of

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456-662: The Long Trail and its side trails — are located throughout the state. Below are a complete list of the GMC chapters: Long Trail The Long Trail is a hiking trail located in Vermont , running the length of the state. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States , constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club . The club remains the primary organization responsible for

494-577: The Long Trail between Woodford (on Vermont State Route 9 just east of Bennington, Vt) and Glastenbury Mountain some 10 miles (16 km) farther north has gained notoriety because six people vanished in that area between 1945 and 1950. Only one body was found and the fates of the other missing persons remain a mystery. The case that perhaps gained the most media attention at the time was the disappearance of 18-year-old Bennington College sophomore Paula Jean Welden , of Stamford, Connecticut , (elder daughter of industrial designer William Archibald Welden of

532-706: The Long Trail in 1930. The Long Trail runs 273 miles (439 km) through the state of Vermont. It starts at the Massachusetts state line (at Clarksburg, Massachusetts ), and runs north to the Canada–US border (in Jay, Vermont ). It runs along the main ridge of the Green Mountains , coinciding with the Appalachian Trail (for which it served as the inspiration) for roughly 100 miles (160 km) in

570-521: The NWPS included 34 areas protecting 9.1 million acres (37,000 km ) in the national forests. As of 2023, there are 806 areas in the NWPS, preserving 111,889,002 acres (45,279,873 ha). This is approximately 4.5% of the entire United States , though only about 2.7% of the 48 contiguous states. However, most of that acreage is located in a handful of states. The states with the highest number of wildernesses are California , Arizona , Nevada , Alaska , and Oregon . However, when measured in acres

608-747: The NWPS, much of the wildlife in the U.S. also has an area in which to exist without significant human interaction. In late 2011, a full wilderness review was requested of the Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain in Alaska. One of the major qualifications for this area to be considered as a possible wilderness area was its diverse wildlife population, many of which are on the endangered species list. In this potential wilderness area alone, whales , seals , wolves , polar bears , grizzly bears , muskoxen , caribou , and over 200 species of migratory birds call this one area home for at least part of

646-579: The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service review all federal lands under their jurisdiction for wilderness areas to include in the NWPS. The first national forest wilderness areas were established by the Wilderness Act itself. The Great Swamp in New Jersey became the first National Wildlife Refuge with formally designated wilderness in 1968. Wilderness areas in national parks followed, beginning with

684-724: The National Wilderness Preservation System. On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 . The legislation designated an additional 2 million acres (810,000 ha) in nine states as wilderness, representing the largest expansion of wilderness lands since 1994. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 added another 1.3 million acres (530,000 ha) in 43 new and expanded wilderness areas. On federal lands in

722-464: The United States, Congress may designate an area as wilderness under the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management , the National Park Service , the Fish and Wildlife Service , and the U.S. Forest Service , are responsible for the submission of new areas that fit the criteria to become wilderness to Congress. Congress then reviews these cases on

760-532: The United States, Canada, and Mexico entitled the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Wilderness Conservation" was made. This agreement created a new entity, the North American Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation for Wilderness and Protected Areas Conservation, that would streamline the process for open communication between international agencies for the purpose of wilderness preservation. This committee

798-418: The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, U.S. Forest Service , National Park Service , Appalachian Trail Conservancy , and private landowners. During the mud season in late spring, some sections of the trail are closed to hikers, to protect the trail from both erosion and to protect nearby flora from being damaged (especially the higher peaks that possess fragile alpine tundra). The section of

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836-502: The Welden case. National Wilderness Preservation System#Wilderness areas The National Wilderness Preservation System ( NWPS ) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness areas are managed by four federal land management agencies:

874-584: The construction of America's first long-distance hiking path known as the Long Trail . The club completed the Long Trail in 1930. With 10,000 members, the club remains responsible for the trail, and is recognized by the state legislature as "the founder, sponsor, defender, and protector" of the Long Trail System. In addition to being the steward of the Long Trail, the Club's advocacy and education efforts also protect Vermont 's many other hiking trails . Through its land protection program in northern Vermont,

912-666: The designation of wilderness in part of Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho in 1970. A dramatic spike in acreage added to the wilderness system in 1980 was due in large part to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act , signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on December 2, 1980. A smaller spike in 1984 came with the passage of many bills establishing national forest wilderness areas identified by

950-536: The future of both the U.S. system and North American preservation efforts as a whole. One of the major goals of the Wilderness Preservation System is to provide undeveloped habitats for threatened or endangered species . Many of the species found in the United States are represented in wilderness areas. There are 261 basic ecosystems in the U.S., and 157 of them are represented in the system. With 60% of all ecosystems somewhat protected by

988-411: The intent of establishing designated wilderness areas. Howard Zahniser created the first draft of the Wilderness Act in 1956. It took nine years and 65 rewrites before the Wilderness Act was finally passed in 1964. The Wilderness Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-577), which established the NWPS, was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964. The Wilderness Act mandated that

1026-650: The largest amount of wilderness land is administered by the National Park Service. The largest contiguous wilderness complex in the United States is the Noatak and Gates of the Arctic Wildernesses in Alaska at 12,743,329 acres (5,157,042 ha). The largest wilderness area outside Alaska is the Death Valley Wilderness in southeastern California. The smallest area protected by the WPS is

1064-438: The law prohibits logging , mining , motorized or mechanized vehicles (including bicycles ), road-building, and other forms of development in wilderness areas, though pre-existing mining claims and grazing ranges are permitted through grandfather clauses in the Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas fall into IUCN protected area management category Ia (strict nature preserves) or Ib (wilderness areas). A special exemption to

1102-618: The life of the people by protecting and maintaining the Long Trail system and fostering, through education, the stewardship of Vermont's hiking trails and mountains". On March 11, 1910, Taylor and twenty-five others met at the Van Ness House in Burlington, Vermont for the first meeting of the Green Mountain Club In 1912, work began on the construction of America's first long-distance hiking path. The GMC completed

1140-572: The list changes dramatically, as Alaska contains many of the largest areas protected under the act. In terms of total acres, Alaska , California , Arizona , Idaho , and Washington are the top five states for wilderness, containing almost 80 percent of the acreage in the system. Wilderness totals in most eastern states are modest, with the exceptions of Florida and Minnesota . Wilderness areas exist in every state except Connecticut , Delaware , Iowa , Kansas , Maryland , and Rhode Island . Most U.S. wilderness areas are in national forests, but

1178-552: The major summits in the Green Mountains, including (from south to north) Glastenbury Mountain , Stratton Mountain , Killington Peak , Mount Abraham , Mount Ellen , Camel's Hump , Mount Mansfield , and Jay Peak . The Long Trail is maintained primarily by the Green Mountain Club and its volunteers. Twelve club sections maintain assigned sections of the Long Trail – two other club sections maintain

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1216-480: The rule against mechanized equipment is made for wilderness areas in Alaska : limited use of motorized vehicles and construction of cabins and aquaculture are permitted. These exemptions were allowed due to the large amount of wilderness in Alaska and the concerns of subsistence users, including Alaska Natives . Wilderness areas are parts of national parks , wildlife refuges , national forests , and BLM lands; some units are managed by different agencies. Initially,

1254-764: The section of the Appalachian Trail that passes through Vermont. The Appalachian Trail follows the Long Trail from the Vermont/Massachusetts state line to Route 4 , at which point the Long Trail continues north and the Appalachian Trail heads eastward towards the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The GMC also manages other hiking trails in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom region. The Green Mountain Club separates out into chapters, called "sections" — since they maintain sections of

1292-526: The southern third of the state. Additionally, over 175 miles (282 km) of side trails complete the Long Trail System. The Long Trail passes through six of the eight wilderness areas in the Green Mountain National Forest , including (from south to north) Glastenbury Wilderness , Lye Brook Wilderness , Peru Peak Wilderness , Big Branch Wilderness , Joseph Battell Wilderness , and Breadloaf Wilderness . It traverses most of

1330-474: The trail, and is recognized by the state legislature as "the founder, sponsor, defender, and protector" of the Long Trail System. The Long Trail was conceived in 1909 by James P. Taylor who was at the time the assistant headmaster of Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont . Taylor lobbied other Vermont residents who shared his dream of a mission to "make the Vermont mountains play a larger part in

1368-629: The trails in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom and the Appalachian Trail from Maine Junction in Killington to the Connecticut River. Although roughly 1,000 volunteers perform most of the club's trail work, the club also employs a staff to handle day-to-day operations and a seasonal staff of summit caretakers and the Long Trail Patrol which works on heavy duty projects on the trail. The Green Mountain Club also receives assistance from

1406-524: The year. This vast assortment of flora and fauna is a major consideration for addition into the wilderness preservation system. Thousands of laws and policies have helped shape and manage the National Wilderness Preservation System in the United States. The following Acts of Congress either directly affect the wilderness system or help influence wilderness management: Some state and tribal governments also designate wilderness areas under their own authority and local laws. These are not federal areas, and

1444-403: Was formed to gain insight on the benefits of wilderness preservation, establish open channels of communication between international agencies, and examine the cultural differences and similarities behind preservation efforts in each country. Within the U.S. system, all of the agencies responsible for wilderness preservation will work in cooperation with their international counterparts to determine

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