The Wilderness Act, signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, established over nine million acres of protected wilderness to keep these lands free from human activity. However, an important compromise allowed for existing mining claims to continue for two decades, permitting potential exploitation in these areas. John McPhee's account of a hike to Miners Ridge, populated with diverse perspectives from a conservationist and a mining enthusiast, illustrates the tensions that arose from this law. The act was a crucial step forward for conservation but highlighted the ongoing conflict between nature preservation and resource extraction.
President Lyndon Johnson hailed the Wilderness Act as one of the "most far-reaching conservation measures" ever approved, establishing protected wilderness areas against human encroachment.
The Wilderness Act created fifty-four wilderness areas across nine million acres, protecting them from roads, homes, and vehicles while allowing existing mining claims to remain valid.
John McPhee documented a hike to Miners Ridge where David Brower, defending remote places, and geologist Charles Park, with a vested interest in mining, represented opposing views.
The compromise in the Wilderness Act meant that, despite protections, mining activities could still occur for twenty years, allowing ecological disruption within designated wilderness areas.
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