Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Americans became increasingly concerned about the environment. The National Park and National Forest systems seemed insufficient to protect wilderness from incursion by business interests. Conservationists began to lobby Congress to enact further protections, and on this date in 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act.
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge on the Missouri Coteau is one of two regions in North Dakota with a designation of Wilderness Area. Covering over four thousand acres, the Refuge consists of both water and grassland habitats. Nearly one third of all North American white pelicans nest in the refuge. From year to year, the population of the colony ranges from four thousand to thirty-five thousand birds. Visitors are limited to two hundred thirty acres in order to preserve the wilderness environment. This gives visitors ample access to scan for the pelicans and watch them in their native habitat. Other common species that frequent Chase Lake include egrets, herons, and ibis.
Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge is also on the Missouri Coteau. It covers over twenty-six thousand acres. Over two hundred fifty migratory birds visit the refuge. Once thought to be extinct, the giant Canada goose was introduced to the refuge in 1964 and has made a remarkable comeback. Visitors enjoy hiking, birdwatching, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Camping, campfires, and motorized vehicles are not permitted in designated wilderness areas.
Not everyone thinks the Wilderness Act is perfect. The Act defines wilderness as being “untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” But the areas were not always free from human intrusion. According to an article in the American Bar Association Journal, the official definition of wilderness “excludes Native Americans from their culture, traditions, homelands, and rights.” Native people shaped the land. They managed the environment through the use of fire. They engaged in farming and constructed irrigation canals. They erected structures. It is inaccurate to define wilderness as a place without evidence of human habitation. While the Wilderness Act legally protected designated wilderness areas, it ignored the history of Native Americans who had occupied the land for centuries.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- US Fish and Wildlife Service. “Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge.” https://www.fws.gov/refuge/chase-lake Accessed 7/16/2024.
- Congressional Research Service. “Wilderness: Overview, Management, and Statistics.”
