Yellowstone Treasures Blog

I've just learned that President Obama has designated this month as National Wilderness Month. That is certainly a step in the right direction.
Some years ago, having been amazed to learn that there is no designated wilderness inside Yellowstone Park, I enquired how this can be. With at least ninety percent of the park isolated from roads and so many beautiful unspoiled places and unique thermal features only accessible by trail, it seemed to me that these lands must surely be included in the wilderness areas now officially protected by Congress. But no. I was told that, although many hundreds of acres have been proposed as wilderness, Congress has not acted upon it. Fortunately, up to now, the administration of Yellowstone has treated the backcountry essentially as though it were officially designated, but it's actually not.
Here is part of Obama's proclamation: "Forty-five years ago, the United States achieved a landmark success in protecting these magnificent wild spaces. The Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act, which sought to secure 'for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.' The Act has been widely recognized as one of our Nation's most important conservation laws." Also, later in the proclamation: "The wild, undeveloped areas of national parks (often called 'backcountry') are subject to development, road building, and off-road mechanized vehicular use." More information is available at: http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/09/president-obama-designates-september-national-wilderness-month4503
Obama's action seems to me a good start, but, if most of Yellowstone is not worthy of wilderness, what American spaces are? Let's urge our representatives and senators to act on this before it's too late.

Janet