ABSTRACT
Conflicts between the resource of wilderness and other resource uses exist in the minds of many land managers, wilderness users and wilderness advocates. To some, any resource use represents a paradox to the concept and philosophy of wilderness. No matter how one views it, however, wilderness certainly is a special resource and must be treated with special management. Even the staunchest wilderness advocates and guardians, tend to view the wilderness resource as a research area, or wildlife refuge, or watershed protection area, or recreation area, or favorite place to visit for sheer inspiration. Those may all be uses of a wilderness, or services provided by it, but they do not necessarily comprise, or complement, the wilderness resource. Wilderness is a special place, a special resource. when improperlymanaged, some of these uses may become as contrary to wilderness concept and philosophy as some uses, principally of commodity production, more traditionally seen as being in conflict.
