Additional Information The Wilderness Act of 1964 Ordinarily, the worst way to figure out what the Congress intended in legislation is to read the law itself. But the Wilderness Act of 1964 is a sparkling exception. As it has rarely been before or since, the Congress was not only clear but eloquent in this landmark law. In order to assure than an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States... leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness. Read more... Links The Wilderness Society - www.wilderness.org Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition - www.safc.org Roadless Areas and Wilderness In 1972 the Forest Service launched what it called the RARE process (for Roadless Area Review and Evaluation) starting with 1,149 potential areas containing 56 million acres. When the agency called the process complete in the Fall of 1973, it designated a scant 274 wilderness study areas totaling 12.3 million acres across the forest system. Read more... Threats to the Landscape This section of North Carolina's Mountain Treasures looks at some of these threats and the changes they portend. They will have much to do with the nature of our public forests in the years to come. But as they transform adjoining private land, eliminating habitat and habitat connections, change will also have much to do with the central significance of those forests and wilderness areas in anchoring a vibrant, functioning ecosystem that will keep North Carolina a wonderful place to live. Read more... The Southern Appalachian Ecosystem Over 2000 kinds of plants thrive here, including over 130 species of trees -- more than are found in all of Europe. The region boasts 700 vertebrate species, among them 50 varieties of salamanders, more than in any area of comparable size on the planet, and around 150 species of nesting birds. Thousands of invertebrate species contribute to the region's remarkable natural life. Read more... How We Got Where We Are Today In 1987, the U.S. Forest Service adopted a management plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. That 1987 plan opened up many of the forests' most important wildlands to roads and to logging. Read more...

Home   ::   Why Protect Wild Areas?   ::   Our Ecosystem   ::   Threats to the Landscape Comments & Suggestions   ::   Old Growth Forests   ::   Links & Information   ::   How You Can Help Introduction   ::   Acknowledgements   ::   About This Project   ::   Wildland Profiles Nantahala National Forest Conservation Areas Blue Ridge Escarpment Highlands Area   ::   Nantahala Mountains   ::   Unicoi Mountains Pisgah National Forest Conservation Areas Black Mountains   ::   Highlands of Roan/Unaka Mountains Linville/Grandfather Mountain   ::   Balsam Mountains   ::   Bald Mountains