Wilderness Management Undergraduate Courses   

This course provides a broad perspective of what wilderness is and how the idea developed. It exposes students to the differing values, ethics, and expectations of wilderness, both in management policy and in society more broadly. The course takes three broad moves, from broad history and philosophy of the concept of wilderness, narrowing to the differences in wilderness policy and management between agencies.

(1) Students will focus on the origins of the wilderness idea in conservation, while also digging deeper into how conceptions of wilderness have been drastically different across times, places, and culture, from ancient times until today. (2) After these broader considerations, the course looks more closely at the early 20th century movements in the US that ultimately led to the passage of the Wilderness Act. (3) From here, students will study how each agency has gone on to interpret and implement the Wilderness Act and related legislation in policy and practice.

This course covers principles of ecosystem ecology and their applications to thinking more clearly about wilderness and its management. The first part of the course reviews the basic principles of ecology in general and the values particular to studying and stewarding ecological process in wilderness. Of course, ecology is important in all land, but wilderness governance and policy puts ecological value on different footings with other uses. Time is taken to review how very common management issues are governed differently in wilderness ecosystems, and why. These issues include: wilderness resources such as fire, wildlife, cultural and historical sites, and managing non-conforming uses such as grazing, mining, and motorized vehicles and equipment and mechanical transport. Furthermore, the why ecological work is done differs, relying mostly on foot travel and traditional skills and tools. Finally, wilderness stewardship must contend with the increasingly dynamic nature of ecosystems as they are influenced by climate change, fragmentation, and exotic species. 

This course examines recreation in a wilderness setting. Recreation has been central in the goals and philosophy of designated wilderness since the idea was first formed (as you learn in American Wilderness Policy and Philosophy). One could argue from some early influential writings, it was certain kinds of recreational values (certain uses and experiences) that most motivated wilderness protection, even more centrally than ecological or natural values. This course explores the history and philosophy of recreation in wilderness and then delves into how this broad philosophy has played out in policy and practice. 

NOTE: This course serves as a capstone for the Wilderness Management undergraduate coursework. You should complete NRSM 404, 405, and PTRM 407 before taking this course. 

This course provides a solid foundation for effective planning of public land management. It covers everything from broad planning theory, necessary planning processes, and clear plan writing. A substantial part of this discussion is the role of public participation in planning. Since wilderness is overseen by multiple agencies, the course also discusses differences in planning among the four federal land management agencies, with a comparison of the philosophy and application of each. 

Moving from planning to application, the course reviews two of the most widely used frameworks in wilderness planning: the Limits of Acceptable Change framework and Keeping It Wild (KIW2). These provide the steps and details necessary for building plans that can be successfully and fruitfully implemented.