ABSTRACT
The Wilderness Act reads almost like two distinctly different laws. This chapter begins with some of the values envisioned by the farmers of the Wilderness Act. There has been quite a bit of discussion about fire in wilderness. Many consider themselves to be wilderness managers, but the author submits that the person who is there on a day-to-day basis, who actually does the interpretation of what should or can be done and where it can be done, is the primary wilderness manager. The chapter deals with a rather idealistic wilderness that is completely virgin, completely devoid of man's influence now or in the future, and examines a very idealistic system. It discusses the realities of wilderness as it existed at the time of the 1964 Act. Many wilderness areas contain fragile alpine or semialpine terrain which is impacted when people concentrate near points of entry, water and near scenic attractions.
