Long before the term wilderness existed and was universally used, people developed personal and deep connections to the land. It’s a hefty word that reflects the diverse histories and cultures of the people who live on, care for and have shaped these lands for millennia. More importantly, these wild and wonderful wilderness areas need protection and thoughtful management, especially in our ever-changing modern world, so they can be sustained for generations to come. Enter the Wilderness Act.

Six decades ago, on Sept. 3, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law an act that established a National Wilderness Preservation System “...for the permanent good of the whole people.” This law directed federal land management agencies—including the Forest Service—to manage congressionally designated wilderness areas to preserve their wilderness character.  

While 1964 may have marked the official beginning, the Forest Service, I am proud to say, recognized and mandated the importance of these wilderness areas long before…40 years to be exact! This year, the Gila Wilderness Area in southwest New Mexico is celebrating its 100th year as the world’s first designated wilderness area, created at the behest of the visionary conservationist Aldo Leopold.  

To commemorate this important and visionary legislation, the White House has proclaimed September as National Wilderness Month. Our wilderness showcases to the world some of America’s most special places and landscapes—forested mountains, alpine meadows, rock peaks above timberline, tundra, lava beds, deserts, swamps, coastal lands and islands.

Today, the National Wilderness Preservation System consists of more than 800 areas—nearly 112 million acres in total—an area larger than the state of California. The Forest Service administers more than half of the areas (448) and about a third of the total acreage (almost 36.6 million) of the entire system.    

As we celebrate National Wilderness Month, we continue to seek ways to make our wilderness areas inclusive, allowing visitors to connect with them. I invite you to make lasting connections and develop a relationship with these wilderness areas in a way that reflects your personal experience and culture. We continue learning from Indigenous communities about our human history and interdependence with these landscapes. Doing so will ensure that our wilderness areas truly are “...for the permanent good of the whole people.”  

Join me in celebrating National Wilderness Month, reflecting on what wilderness means to you. I am proud of what we have accomplished as an agency in the last 60 years and am excited for the future of our agency, stewarding these wilderness areas together with our partners and tribal governments.

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