Programs

Wilderness & Special Areas

What is Wilderness?

The Wilderness Act of 1964, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964, created the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness designation, which can only be enacted by Congress, provides the strongest and most permanent form of protection on public land. The initial wilderness areas, designated in the Act, comprised 9.1 million acres of national forest in the United States. Today, the Wilderness System comprises over 107 million acres involving federal lands administered by four agencies: the US Forest Service, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service.

Wilderness areas are considered important for ecological study, conservation, solitude, and recreation, and deeply valued for cultural, spiritual, creative, moral and aesthetic reasons as well. As the population in the eastern United States continues to skyrocket, these areas will become even more critical.

How does SAFC work on Wilderness?

Guided by its Conservation Vision, SAFC advocates for the creation of new Wilderness areas within the Southern Appalachian region. We work locally with the public, our member groups and Congressional delegates to build public support for Wilderness and to help get it passed through Congress. SAFC is currently working with its partners to get the VA Ridge and Valley Act, a 55,000 acres tract, through the Senate. We are also assisting our member groups with research and support building for additional Wilderness areas throughout the region.