Lessons learned: Merging process elements to address wilderness character and user capacity (original) (raw)

The Wilderness Act of 1964 and the National Park Service (NPS) management policies require that conditions and long-term trends of wilderness character be monitored. This monitoring is based on the four key wilderness qualities: untrammeled, natural, undeveloped, and opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfi ned recreation. The interagency "Keeping It Wild" framework was developed to guide wilderness character monitoring, but there has been limited application within the National Park Service to date. One of the primary reasons for this has been the need to develop specifi c guidance on implementing the framework and integrating it into agency planning efforts. As part of 2010 initiatives to develop guidance for "Keeping It Wild" fi eld application, NPS staff found an opportunity to merge elements of the "Keeping It Wild" framework with the framework to address user capacity. Although the frameworks use slightly different terminology, the end goals are largely the same: to provide a process that guides planning and management to preserve resources while also protecting the visitor experience. In three case studies, some elements and methods of the processes to address wilderness character and user capacity were merged, resulting in lessons for guiding future wilderness stewardship planning and management.