What does the term "wilderness" mean to you

Wilderness is defined as a tract of land undisturbed by humans with a natural life community, ergo wild. The town I grew up in has a fantastic nature reserve right across from a university, although I distinguish wilderness from a nature reserve or preserve. I think wilderness needs to include remoteness, including the absence of houses, buildings, roads, paths, or improvements.
 
At the risk of getting all postmodern, I'd have to question whether wilderness really exists, or is just an ideal we made up.

The Hudson Bay lowlands of Northern Ontario are sparsely populated, wild and empty. But the Cree have lived there for thousands of years. The Great Lakes basin was wilderness until about 250 years ago -- but various native groups lived there, farmed, set fires to improve the forest for deer, and so on.

Point being, these areas were not untouched. They were just untouched by us.

Anyway, to me I'd say wilderness is any area that is sparsely populated, where human activity has little impact on natural processes and where you can see little evidence of people.
 
Zaner01 said:
Point being, these areas were not untouched. They were just untouched by us.

Anyway, to me I'd say wilderness is any area that is sparsely populated, where human activity has little impact on natural processes and where you can see little evidence of people.
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Wilderness areas in my state were heaviliy logged and then burned at the turn of the century.

Many of the trails run on old logging railroad grades and hunks of rails and iron and other relics from the logging days are still there.

Here's a collection hikers have started on Posession Camp Trail in Otter Creek Wilderness of old logging relics.
20040911-oc03.jpg


However because this is designated Wilderness that means nature is being allowed to take back over.

A lot of the signs are removed and replaced with cairns. The three sided shelters are removed or not replaced. Trails go around fallen trees a lot of times.
 
(5) The water is pristine and can safely be drunk without treatment.
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:confused:
Giardia is naturally occurring and is spread by deer, beavers, and other wild animals. :rolleyes:

:p
 
Bob W said:
:confused:
Giardia is naturally occurring and is spread by deer, beavers, and other wild animals. :rolleyes:

:p
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Agreed. It's usually safe above tree-line, but a lot of the folks here will never get that high up without an airplane. And I still wouldn't drink it even then unless I had to.
 
To me, I think I am in a Wilderness area when 911 won't work(even if you can talk to them) and I can't get a cold Mt Dew :) Doesn't have to be just trees and critters to be in the wild :) Try the wrong part of town after hours sometime!
 
I agree with the ones who've mentioned there aren't many places that have been untouched by man. I can show you "Wilderness Areas" where there are old mines, the remains of roads, etc. That doesn't mean they aren't "wild" now....they just haven't always been that way. I think Zaner said it best.

scarysharp said:
If my cell phone doesnt work - I'm in the wilderness
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Using that criteria half of my state is wilderness. :D
 
Wilderness is where one can run naked in the woods, hooting with the owls, knapping stone for tools, sleeping in furs and practicing bushcraft.



:D:p:D:p (refer to the bushcraft thread over at ScrapYard Knives if you dont get this....
 
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SouthernCross said:
(5) The water is pristine and can safely be drunk without treatment.


I'd be interested in knowing what criteria others would use to identify an area as a wilderness.



Kind regards
Mick
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I would be careful with this criteria, as beaver feces can cause slot of problems if you are not immune toGiardia
 
Bob W said:
:confused:
Giardia is naturally occurring and is spread by deer, beavers, and other wild animals. :rolleyes:

:p
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Last time I looked, we didn't have beavers and deer are very limited in numbers and distribution here in Australia :D

Even though some may find this hard to believe, I have drunk untreated water from areas I would describe as wilderness areas for many years with no ill effects. Bear in mind, that's here in Australia.



Kind regards
Mick
 
I would describe a wilderness as an area where man almost never goes, and there is ultimately no sign of man. If there is a sign of man, it has been inhabited to much to really be a wilderness. Animals may not be afraid if they are used to human interaction, and that is not "wild" that is tamed.

Just my $0.02
 
I know that wilderness is usually not beyond the sign that says wilderness boundary. Here in Ca. that is BS from capital hill especially in the deserts. It's not wilderness when I can find old and new mines, signs of old and new ranching, and barbwire fences. You guys ever find any of those wild fences or mines? If you do don't tell the Sierra club, they'll get Congress to preserve it for ya.
 
Personally, I guess I'd say my main criteria for wilderness is that if you get yourself into trouble, you'll have to get yourself out.

Wilderness is a place that for those of us that have never been truly alone, it can spook us after a few days with no people.




scarysharp said:
If my cell phone doesnt work - I'm in the wilderness
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Then I'm often in the wilderness, or perhaps I need a new provider! :)

 
scarysharp said:
If my cell phone doesnt work - I'm in the wilderness
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So, the underground parking and elevator where I live are wilderness zones?

I'd say anywhere where there's no Trader Joe's, In-N-Out Burger, decent sushi, or a Bean & Leaf. Might as well live on the dark side of the moon.
 
My aesthetic sense wants to define a wilderness area as one in which the signs of human inhabitants are removed, but as others have pointed out, we cheifly mean modern society not aboriginal societies using traditional methods.

As has been pointed out, quality of environment in terms of sustainable drinking water and food reserves is really dependent on the environment. One can't conclude that the wild deserts are not wilderness because they provide less resources for the human condition than a tropical jungle.

I guess, I really like that federal definition and throw in there an ecosystem concept approach. Wilderness, being an area that is occupied by a functioning ecosystem whose processes are shaped and governed by forces of nature rather than human mechanization. One where the flora derive their nutrients from the soils and energy from the sun and sustain the food web for the animals that live there. A place that is of sufficient breadth and size to provide habitat that is sustainable to the populations of its top predators and keystone species. Humans may be present in this area, but they are by-standers, not substantially altering energy flow, habitat characteristics or behavioral characteristics of the animals present there.
 
I always think of wilderness as any place that takes me outta my comfort zone, for me big cities are urban wilderness, I'm not used to them and always feel uncomfortable when I'm in them !
 
According to my wife, wilderness is defined by a Holiday Inn Express, that is her idea of camping out.:rolleyes: She loves the Hilton or some other 5 star for our trips out.:eek:
Of course, I have been married for more years than most of you are old.
Jim
44 this June
 
shangchi108 said:
So, the underground parking and elevator where I live are wilderness zones?

I'd say anywhere where there's no Trader Joe's, In-N-Out Burger, decent sushi, or a Bean & Leaf. Might as well live on the dark side of the moon.
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Not for nothing, but there a far MORE place that dont have Trader Joes or an In-N-Out Burger place (never heard of them) than there are "dead spot" parking garages. ;)
 
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