Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
McKenry (1977) has provided an analysis of the degree to which the values of
wilderness are disrupted by activities such as forestry, mining, grazing and road
construction. Table 7.4, based on
Table 7.3:
The scientific values of wilderness
Value
Description
Genetic
resources/biodiversity
Large natural communities such as those provided for in wilderness
areas can serve as sources of genetic materials which are potentially
useful to humans. As more of the world's natural ecosystems are
removed or simplified, the remaining natural areas will assume even
greater importance as storehouses of genetic material.
Ecological research and
biological monitoring
Wilderness areas provide protection for large natural ecosystems.
Within these areas a variety of research on ecological processes can
occur. Research may consist of ecosystem dynamics, comparative
ecology, ethology, surveys of fauna and flora, and the relationship of
base ecological data to environmental change.
Environmental baselines
Wilderness areas, representative of particular biomes, can be used as
reference areas in the monitoring of environmental change both within
the biome and on a global scale.
The evolutionary
continuum
Wilderness areas provide the conditions in which the evolutionary
continuum of adaptation, extinction and speciation can occur without the
direct interference of humans.
Long term Wilderness areas provide conditions in which flora and fauna
conservation can occur, particularly for those species which require
large territories to reproduce and be preserved.
Sources:
P.E.Smith (1977); Frankel (1978); Hendee et al. (1978); Hall (1992a)
Table 7.4:
Interactions between values associated
with wilderness and common disruptive activities
Common
disruptive
activities
Water
resources
Traditional
aboriginal
habitat
Wildlife
resources
and
habitat
Plant
resources
and
habitat
Research
and
education
Wilderness
recreation
resources
Vicarious
appreciation
of
wilderness
Reserve
resource
pool
Hydro
1-2
5
3-4
3-4
4-5
4-5
4-5
4-5
Forestry
3-4
5
3-4
3-4
3-4
4-5
4-5
2-3
Mining
3-4
5
3-4
3-4
3-4
4-5
5
4-5
Agriculture 3-4
5
3-4
4-5
3-4
5
5
4-5
Grazing
3-4
4-5
2-3
3-4
2-3
3-4
3-4
2-3
Road
2-3
4-5
2-3
2-3
2-3
4-5
4-5
2-3
Tourism
3-4
5
3-4
2-3
2-3
4-5
4-5
2-3
Off-road
2-3
4-5
2-3
2-3
2-3
4-5
2-3
1-2
Scale of disruption to wilderness values
1 No incompatible interaction (i.e. mutually compatible)
2 Slightly incompatible
3 Substantial incompatibility
4 Slight compatibility only
5 Totally incompatible (i.e. mutually exclusive)
