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What about "mulitple use" and wilderness? |
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According to federal law, public lands are supposed to be managed for "Multiple Use," doesn't wilderness violate this principle?
No.
Wilderness is a "multiple use" both in fact and in law, with Wilderness preservation first being recognized legally by the Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act of 1960, which notes: "The establishment and maintenance of areas of wilderness are consistent with the purposes and provisions of this Act"
(See MUSYA, Sect. 2). Wilderness is subsequently reaffirmed as multiple use by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the National Forest Management Act, both of 1976.
The "multiple uses" of Wilderness, according to law, includes the protection of watersheds that are essential for clean and abundant water, the maintenance of soil and water quality, ecological diversity, plant and animal gene pools, and habitat for wildlife, including rare and endangered species. In addition, Wilderness provides unsurpassed opportunities for a wide range of outdoor recreation activities, including hiking, horse-packing, backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, camping, hunting and fishing.
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Wilderness FAQs