WILDERNESS ASPECTS OF NATIONAL PARKS
Jesse L. Nusbaum

(Address to Conferences on National Parks called by the American Planning and Civic Association, Washington, D.C. January 21, 1938)

The concept and purpose of National parks, from the standpoint of recreation, was epitomized in the report of the Recreation Committee to the National Resources Board in the following language: "National Parks are areas of primeval nature, of superlative scenic quality, set aside and conserved unimpaired, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. Their development should be conducive to the realization of their recreational and scientific values, arising out of their natural characteristics, and should be consistent with these inherent qualities."

Proper use of national parks has always been interpreted to mean that parks should become reasonably and restrictively accessible—that shelter, food, safety, and sanitary accommodations be available to the public.

Formulated high ideals of the National Park Service, for intelligent, protective preservation and utilization of the generous gifts of nature embodied in national parks, originally were patterned to the needs of a very limited and slow-moving traffic, largely horse and foot.

None could conceive of the problems, later to be presented to the nation, and more significantly to national parks; by the spread, speed, and volume of automobile traffic. Motoring demands of park visitors, and benefiting outside agencies, so threatened protective and preservation ideals of the Service as to promote immediately field studies and survey of unimpaired wilderness resources, and the establishment of wilderness areas into which no visiting motorist may proceed with his car.

The natural resources of national parks were studied, inventoried, and classified by areas in four primary groupings—the primitive, the modified, the developed, and the scientific. The scope of this paper is restricted primarily to the aspect of wilderness. Discussion, therefore, is restricted to the primitive and scientific classes, the characteristics of which have been previously defined by Assistant Director Wirth.

Comprehensive and intelligent understanding of the realities involved in any situation in national parks is essential to their discussion. Seemingly, first approach to the subject of wilderness aspects should be made from the standpoint of proper interpretation of the word "wilderness", which, quite logically, means many things to many people. Recourse to American history and the dictionary proves informative.

Early Dutch and English immigrants to America commonly referred to unexplored and unoccupied adjacent terrain, whether woodland or plain, as "the wilderness"—from the Middle English word "wildernesse", probably derived in turn from the Anglo-Saxon "wildor"—a wild beast—rather than the Dutch "wildernis". "Wilderness" survived historically as the place-name of the wooded area of northeast Virginia, scene of the indecisive battles of May 6 and 7, 1864, between the armies of Grant and Lee.

Progressively, as American colonial frontiers were pushed west from the Atlantic seaboard, the wilderness comprised the area west ward of the fall-line of the Atlantic Coast, westward of the Alleghenies, of the Ohio, of the Mississippi, of the Missouri, and of the Rockies—with the final recession to the Pacific accelerated by the discovery of gold in the Sierra of California.

Possessed by right of discovery, and used by the Indian from the time of ending of the Recent Ice Age, some hundred or more centuries ago, this vast, trackless, transcontinental waste of woodland, plain, mountain and desert terrain, teeming with native wildlife, constituted unknown wilderness—a terra incognita—to first white explorers. Fur traders blazed the way into the Indian domain, and opened the traces to advancing westward settlement.

Through more than two and one-half centuries, to the 1870 hey day of unrestricted free utilization of the public domain and its abundant resources, the American people diligently and relentlessly engaged in winning, or shall we say, impairing or destroying, a transcontinental wilderness, and depleting the wildlife, actually terminating certain species. The natural elements of their surroundings, which seem to have been accepted at that time without appreciation, now show themselves possessed of tremendous values, as we strive to perpetuate unimpaired, the last vestigial islands of true American wilderness, and to solve the problems left in the wake of wilderness recession.

Reverting again to the dictionary, "wilderness" is defined as the quality or state of being wild. A "wild" is an uncultivated, uninhabited tract of region, as a forest or desert, or a trackless waste. In this connection I like to associate the word "wilder", the poetical verb transitive, meaning to lead astray.

"Aspect", on the other hand, is the appearance to the eye or mind—the look, or view—from a position facing, fronting, or regarding a particular direction.

If these definitions are sound, then the aspect of wilderness may be restricted to the appearance to the eye or mind, from the viewer's position, of trackless wastes of forest, desert, mountain or plain, unmodified and uninhabited by man. But man is a product of wilderness.

Of all the creatures of nature, man remains the only member that had the wits to implement his hand to cope with wilderness conditions. His progress towards civilization dates from the remote times when perchance in a moment of extremity, he picked up a stone, stick, or club to defend himself better, or to gain something beyond the range of his normal reach. Painfully shaping stone or wood better to fit his hand and purpose, he invented the basic instruments to dominate and deplete wilderness conditions of living. From these primitive beginnings, and purposes, by substitution of metals, refinement of design, and application of power, we have progressively perfected their damaging character. Each oncoming generation expands and refines the instruments of potential wilderness destruction. It, therefore, becomes increasingly imperative that we aggressively strengthen the safeguards to wilderness preservation.

From the period of Late Pleistocene time, man has been associated with American wilderness, as one of the biotic entities which by reason of increase in number, or rate of movement, and practical domination of other factors, now constitutes the greatest threat to wilderness value impairment. We can't expel humankind from publicly owned primitive wilderness areas as Adam and Eve were expelled from their Garden of Eden, but we can prescribe primitive modes of travel and use with the hope that those hampering inconveniences of wilderness living will definitely restrict the extent of further impairment.

"Impairment" again is a relative or comparative term. Where in the nation may we look today for a wilderness that has not been impaired by man? True, the scars of impairment may have been healed and largely effaced by a provident nature, but natural conditions and balances were disturbed, nevertheless.

During the past year, a group of competent scientists, engaged in the study of comparative differences in small faunal types of the north, and of the south rims of Grand Canyon National Park, reached the conclusion that variations could best be explained by investigation of comparable types of a detached geologic island, so rugged in character and difficult of access from remote times, as to insure pure types, unmodified by mainland types or the influence of man. Shiva Temple was selected as conforming most exactly to the predetermined specifications. Among first findings on the Mesa top were the telltale artifacts of our wilderness predecessor, the prehistoric Amerind.

The aspect of wilderness is always a comparative quality to the individual which he interprets and evaluates in terms of his experience, appreciation and response. Some may complacently realize great spiritual stimulation and refreshment from modest, restrictive contacts with nature. Others, to achieve like ends, may require extensive and extended contact with nature in areas of great size and to be reached and enjoyed only through the expenditure of great physical effort.

The sense of wilderness may be comparatively realized throughout the major portion of most national parks by venturing modestly outward by primitive means from access highways and developed areas, but the sense of its full realization may not be achieved until one has trekked beyond the sound of the motor horn, the sight of the modifications of man, and entered into harmonious relation with nature.

No where else in the United States do so many varied opportunities for the sheer enjoyment of these unspoiled beauty spots present themselves as in the national parks. Mirror Plateau of Yellowstone, a primitive wilderness of more than 300 square miles, situated north of Yellowstone Lake and east of Yellowstone River, is characterized by great expanses of dense lodgepole pine forest, interspersed with luxuriant open meadows.

The wilderness charm of this extensive area is enhanced by the herds of elk and buffalo, which thrive naturally and abundantly therein. Approached but not entered by highways, this primitive area offers rare opportunities for extended wilderness enjoyment.

The rim to rim trail across the Grand Canyon bisects an amazing wilderness. Sequent chapters of geologic history are here spectacularly exposed in colorful land forms by the dual processes of erosion and uplift. Shifting highlights and shadows progressively accentuate the color features of the canyon terrain. The terrifying turbulence of the mighty silt-laden Colorado is relieved by the comparative tranquility of its quiet stretches. The aspect of bordering canyon walls from the river level is truly one of isolated wilderness.

Separated, and highly elevated by formidable escarpments from all surrounding terrain, the great densely forested Mesa Verde tableland conformed exactly to the wilderness requirements of early agricultural Indans, who sought the natural protection to homes and fields that precipitous canyon walls presented to aggressive nomadic enemies.

Known to have been intensively occupied and utilized through a period of more than six centuries—to the beginning of the great 24 year drought ended in 1299—the forces of nature have restored the vegetative cover, and largely erased or buried the evidence of past occupation, save for the remarkable remains of their cliff-dwelling homes.

Since road development has been restricted to a single entrance highway traversing the North Rim, and to Chapin Mesa, one of the many tongue-like secondary mesas formed by the paralleling system of secondary canyons, Mesa Verde remains largely a wilderness of precipitous canyons and intervening mesa lands, enhanced by revealed and undisclosed human history.

The greatest wilderness area in the United States without roads for motorized traffic, facilities for public accommodations, or terrain suitable for aeroplane landing is the primary Colorado River Basin in southeastern Utah and its contributary drainage system, including the Green River from above Labyrinth Canyon and the San Juan from below Mexican Hat, to their confluence with the Colorado. This practically unknown area, approachable only to bordering rims by one road on the east, one on the north, and one on the west comprises an area of upwards of 7,000,000 acres of spectacularly eroded and brilliantly colorful mesa, cliff and canyon terrain, which because of the rugged character and inaccessibility, can best be viewed by aeroplane.

Some will say that entering, bisecting or looping a national park with a primary access highway and establishing public accommodation alongside constitute wanton destruction of wilderness values and justifiably so if road development is excessive or unnecessarily scarring and the structures of man are not harmonized with the character of the terrain or obtrude obnoxiously or inescapably in the foreground of nature's magnificent exhibits.

That mistakes have been made in the past is frankly acknowledged. That they may be made in the future under duress of public pressures is conceivable, despite the fact that the Service is guided technically in all physical developments. The decisions of public institutions supported by tax funds under the democratic form of government are sometimes nullified by public pressures in the processes of legislation and appropriation.

I cannot overemphasize the desirability of not opening up more of park areas to motorized travel. As a means of primary access to centers of visitor accommodation and reasonable approach to primary exhibits, roads serve a justifiable function in national parks. Extension of motor highways beyond this limitation is only justifiable when objectives achieved outweigh the resultant physical destruction, disturbance and impairment of wilderness values. On such a basis, designated primitive areas of national parks may never be violated by motor highway development as long as natural values survive.

The inherent desire of humankind to tarry, relax and seek new inspiration in areas of surpassing natural beauty and charm has been markedly lessened by the tempo of modern life. The disturbing factor to the wilderness enthusiast is that man generally is a lazy creature, grown softer with the advent of the automobile and the paved highway. He has become so accustomed to the comforts of the modern automobile that vacation habits have been modified to its use restrictions. He superficially views the passing panorama of scenic splendor at maximum allowable speeds, his tempo for rest, relaxation and wilderness enjoyment being geared apparently to the speed of his car. He wants roads developed to remote objectives, and exhibits a gregarious tendency to remain overnight where crowds are densest.

Yosemite's glorious high wilderness country attracts only the limited few from the congested valley floor, even when the remarkable manifestations of tumbling water have seasonably recessed almost to the disappearing point.

For the past 17 years, I have observed the growth of these trends with increasing concern. As a responsible field officer, I have been forced, reluctantly, to realize that indicated desires of the vast majority of the more than 15,000,000 park visitors of the past year constitute a mandate that is perhaps inescapable as to primary access roads and adjacent visitor accommodation in new national parks.

However, by the same token, in view of changing travel trends and vacation habits, the policy of the National Park Service in perpetuating wilderness areas and aspects is assisted and fortified.

It has been publicly stated that true wilderness areas are not by their nature compatible with national parks. The answer to this question is that national parks are the only recognized areas that today actually provide complete preservation of wilderness values. Search where you may, you will not find in any approved Act of the Congress, like authority and instruction to insure equal preservation of wilderness values on other publicly administered domain. By the nature of their authority, approved Congressional Acts are more permanent and binding on their administering agencies and less subject to change than the pronouncements of lesser administrative authorities.

To establish primitive areas within national forests, the Secretary of Agriculture had to terminate lumbering, grazing by domestic stock, mining and other commercial uses on lands embraced therein, to exclude public roads for mechanized transport, public airplane landings, and public concessions, such as hotels and summertime homes. Activities terminated on these lands were legally established functions of Forest Service management. Excluded developments and operations were permissive uses of forest lands.

Perhaps it is the modern world that invented loneliness in the deserts of civilization, from which the automobile now provides the primary means of escape to the charm and loveliness of open country.

People generally are beginning to look back upon primitive nature as something of exceptional value and fundamental significance to mankind. In reality, contacts with nature through the vast period preceding the rapid growth of civilization had a very great effect on mankind.

In retrospect, and in final analysis, the National Park Service, as a governmental agency dedicated to the conservation of natural values, takes a greater measure of satisfaction in the things it was importuned to do and did not do, than in its actual physical modification of limited areas on national parks to adapt them to the demands of a changing and expanding usage.

The perpetuation and preservation, unimpaired, of wilderness values of national parks continue as its most potent ideals and functional objectives.