Research in Wilderness: How much is enough? Justin Preisendorfer White Mountain National Forest

Threats to Wilderness Overuse NNIS Fire Suppression Pollution Lack of Public Awareness Climate Change

From Section 2(c) (Definition of Wilderness): …and (4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, each agency administering any area designated as wilderness shall be responsible for preserving the wilderness character of the area and shall so administer such area for such other purposes for which it may have been established as also to preserve its wilderness character. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, wilderness areas shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, and historical use.

Preserve wilderness character = Our overarching mandate

Proposal: Install a small stream gauge and datalogger in this wilderness stream to be monitored by local school Purpose: Study impacts of changing precipitation patterns on mature forests Proponent: USGS & Wilderness High School

Mitigation measures

Wilderness benefits and values

Value as a control

Large unmodified landscapes

The at-risk species that rely on them

Communication

A Framework to Evaluate Proposals for Scientific Activities in Wilderness

Wilderness is a Laboratory Observatory

Wilderness research should always use the minimum tool

Motorized equipment

Mechanized transport

Permanent installations

1. Initial Review Filter: identify any potential “red flags” or obvious problems 2. Quality of Proposal Filter: ensure the activities will achieve their intended outcome

3. Legal and Policy Filter: evaluate conformance with existing legislation and applicable agency policies 4. Impacts and Benefits Filter: evaluate both impacts and benefits

Wilderness Dependence Benefit to Wilderness/Science DEGREE OF ANALYSIS NEEDED Determination Tool Wilderness Dependence Low High Not Minimum More Analysis High Use of 4c activities Impact to Wilderness Character Minimum Activity No use of 4c activities The file is part of the Research and Scientific Activities Toolbox at: http://www.wilderness.net/toolboxes/ Analysis Less Minimum Low Low High Benefit to Wilderness/Science