Section 8.3: Public Land in the United States Vocabulary Wilderness: designated natural area where the land and the ecosystems it supports are protected (pg.215) (only one vocabulary term for this section) A well-preserved wilderness site at Eagle Creek.

Section 8.3: Public Land in the United States In the 1870s, a group of explorers proposed to Congress that an area of land in the Northeast be set aside for the public. The Congress agreed, and Yellowstone National Park was born. Today there are 55 official national parks in the United States. 40% of land in the United States is publically owned and managed by the federal, state, and local governments. Because land resources are so valuable, the federal government allows public land to be used in many ways. Some include: Hiking, camping, boating, wildlife conservation, recreation, industry, logging, grazing, mining, firing ranges. Private individuals and corporations pay money to use the public lands for any of these reasons. However, more than one corporation or person can use the land. This is called: multi-use management. Wilderness areas are areas which the land and the ecosystems it supports are protected from all development. These areas are open to camping, fishing, and hiking, but not for building or using motorized equipment. More and more people are visiting the wilderness each year, and leaving garbage, chemicals, and trampled paths. In addition, many factories, grazing, and logging areas are very close to the wilderness areas, leading to air pollution and other forms of pollution. To protect the wilderness areas from any more damage, limits have been set as to how many hikers can be on a trail at one time, and certain areas have been changed to off-limit camping areas. Many volunteer programs are now active in wilderness areas. The Great Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park.