Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education
Print Reference
pp. 17-27
Abstract
For example, an analysis of results of visitor studies at the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in 1969, 1991 and 2007 reveal some big differences in who is out there today, most notably the presence of a much older, more experienced and better educated user population, almost exclusively white and predominantly male. It is time to decide whether the best thing for wilderness and our society is to try to restore historic patterns of use ( to include younger people, the less wealthy and lower educated) in greater numbers, to try to identify new markets within growing underrepresented populations, or adapt our perception of wilderness stewardship to better include planning for emerging social values of a new generation with other indicators of well-being. A growing population with greater dependence on ecosystem services provided by protected nature could lead to wilderness protection becoming an important quantitative and qualitative element of quality of life indices in the very near future.
Recommended Citation
Alan E. Watson
(2015)
"The Role of Wilderness Protection,"
Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education: Vol. 24:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.cortland.edu/taproot/vol24/iss1/5