Visitor perception, place attachment, and wilderness management in the Adirondack High Peaks

Each year, thousands of hikers and campers go to New York’s Adirondack Mountains to relive memories and to enjoy a place “forever kept as wild.” To preserve the very wildness that people remember and seek, state land managers must sometimes remove structures and reroute trails, altering familiar and beloved landscapes. Although these changes maintain ecological integrity, they can threaten individuals’ place identity and place-based aspirations and ideals. This chapter describes conflicts between wilderness management and place attachment in the Adirondack High Peaks, then discusses how an emerging ethic of stewardship helps visitors engage in preservation and foster deeper relationships with the mountains.