Preserving Wilderness Through Education
By Laura Buchheit, Wilderness Education Specialist, National Park Service
Have you ever traveled far beyond the end of the road? . . . Can you imagine a place where the only sounds are rushing winds and raging waters? . . . Do you long to reach for the farthest horizon? . . . Could you carry everything you needed for a week on your back, and yet want for nothing? . . . Can you learn from the past and look with hope to the future? . . . Are you willing to test yourself and perhaps become a different person? . . . Then step into wilderness, a special place. The roots of wilderness run deep in the ground and in our hearts. Come, begin your adventure and discover the wilderness within you.These words, accompanied by images of wilderness areas and original music, invite everyone to explore wilderness by using the Wilderness Views Module. An interactive multimedia computer program, Wilderness Views is based in the Views of the National Parks website. It was released in late 2004 in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Similar to the history of the Wilderness Act, Wilderness Views evolved as an interdisciplinary, interagency effort to preserve public lands through education for present and future generations.
Wilderness Views reaches out to all Americans and facilitates discovery of the wilderness areas both close to home and across the country. Students in an urban classroom, visitors in a national park visitor center, and individuals around the world can discover the wilderness areas preserved by Congress for the use and enjoyment of the American people. Wilderness Views provides opportunities for people to connect with their public lands.
The need for public awareness of and involvement with wilderness has been recognized since the Wilderness Act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Howard Zahniser, the primary author of the Wilderness Act, emphasized the importance of educating Americans about wilderness by stating:
"This is a leadership task that involves us in showing people how to provide a positive influence under the prerogatives of our democratic system. ...Nor have we exhausted our educational possibilities when we have adapted our wilderness information activities to all the common media of information and means for organizational effectiveness. We need also to entertain in our own imagination every new stimulus of the public mind that we perceive."Wilderness Views sparks the imagination. It brings the resource of wilderness to all Americans and encourages them to explore, care for and conserve their wilderness heritage.---Howard Zahniser
Exploring Wilderness Views
After a multimedia introduction, Wilderness Views invites viewers to delve into greater depth by offering seven topics, each investigating a different aspect of wilderness. From "What is wilderness?" to "How is wilderness managed?" the module provides insight into the unique resource of wilderness in the United States. Through an interactive timeline individuals can learn the history of wilderness leading up to the enactment of the Wilderness Act in 1964. Historic and current perspectives on "Why wilderness?" are presented through biographical sketches and video interviews. Management scenarios place the viewer into a wilderness manager's role by presenting real-life situations that guide individuals through a decision-making process considering consequences and outcomes.The "Up Close" section highlights nine wilderness areas with natural and cultural history descriptions. Interactive panoramic images and video interviews with managers, employees and volunteers provide insight into the meaning and value of specific wilderness areas. From the 3,000 acre Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness in New Jersey to the 558,000 acre Gila Wilderness in New Mexico, viewers have the opportunity to discover wilderness areas near and far. Wilderness Views provides virtual visits to America's wilderness areas and encourages the public to continue discovering their wilderness heritage.
Interactive multimedia elements engage viewers in their discovery of wilderness. The module contains 85 unique video interview clips from 33 individuals. It also contains 360 degree panoramas, soundscapes, and interactive screens to test the viewer's knowledge. Images come from designated wilderness areas across the entire National Wilderness Preservation System. The images convey the diverse system of wilderness, enticing viewers to continue their exploration beyond the confines of the computer.
Resources
Teacher resources accompany the module, complimenting its educational purposes. The original curriculum, based on national standards of learning, consists of five lesson plans. These lessons guide teachers and students through activities utilizing information found in Wilderness Views, encourage student inquiry, and provide meaningful connections to the nation's wild heritage. This enhanced learning opportunity supports teachers as they utilize any of Wilderness Views in their classrooms and integrate wilderness lessons into their standard curriculum.Partnerships
A truly cooperative effort, development of Wilderness Views involved multiple agencies and partners. The appearance of Wilderness Views reflects the diversity of government and non-government contributors, and the translation of content into Spanish in 2006 represents an effort to engage a multi-lingual audience. The design of Wilderness Views is unique and truly interagency. Each screen displays the emblems of the four agencies that manage wilderness. Images of wilderness areas encompass the diversity of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The module is available for all agencies to utilize, develop, and showcase as a tool for preserving wilderness.For more information on Wilderness Views and other Views of the National Parks modules, contact Bruce Nash at Bruce_Nash@nps.gov.
