National Wilderness Month 2024: 60 Years of the Wilderness Act

September 2024 was proclaimed National Wilderness Month by President Biden, marking the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. The proclamation noted that a century earlier, the Gila Wilderness became the nation's first designated wilderness, opening a new era of federal conservation — and called for renewed commitment to protecting natural places and making sure every community can enjoy them.

The Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness, the largest federal wilderness in the country, protects more than nine million acres. NPS/J. Frank.

The National Wilderness Preservation System

More than forested mountains

More than 80% of all National Park Service land is managed as wilderness. Park Service wilderness protects deserts, alpine meadows, tundra, lava beds, sand dunes, swamps and coasts. Much of it also reflects thousands of years of human life and homelands: the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples and later residents long predate national parks and federal wilderness, and wilderness stewardship builds on those connections between people and land.

Celebrating wilderness

The Park Service invited everyone to mark the month by learning about wilderness and its benefits, exploring parks' wilderness virtually through its America's Wilderness video series, and — when visiting in person — recreating responsibly and practicing Leave No Trace so everyone has a positive experience.

Sources

Based on "2024 National Wilderness Month Proclamation," National Park Service, quoting the presidential proclamation on National Wilderness Month, 2024; a work of the United States government in the public domain.