Positive Story: Leaving wilderness alone isn't always the best way to protect it, experts say. Here's what they suggest instead | An Encouraging Development

Positive Story: Leaving wilderness alone isn't always the best way to protect it, experts say. Here's what they suggest instead | An Encouraging Development

Why this story matters: In a world often dominated by negative headlines, stories like this remind us that meaningful progress is happening every day. Quick summary: This story highlights recent developments related to leaving, showing how constructive action can lead to meaningful results. More than 110 million acres of land across the U.S. are protected in 806 federally designated wilderness areas — together an area slightly larger than the state of California. For the most part, these places have been left alone for decades, in keeping with the 1964 Wilderness Act’s directive that they be “untrammeled by man.” But in a time when lands are experiencing the effects of climate change, and people are renewing their understanding of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship practices, protecting these places may require action, not inaction. New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness, where the Chihuahuan Desert converges with the Rocky Mountains, was the first to receive a formal wilderness designation in 19…