Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
identified in the previous section. 'The area is maintained in a state in which its
wilderness or primitive appearance is not impaired by any form of development, and in
which the continued existence of indigenous animal and plant species is assured'
(Dasmann 1973:12). However, unlike some of the use limitations of strict natural areas,
wilderness is available to recreationists.
Dasmann's recognition of wilderness as a discrete land use category did not appear in
the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' (IUCN
1978) eventual categorisation of conservation areas. However, this does not imply that
wilderness has only minimal value as a form of conservation land use. Rather it is a
recognition of the difficulties in transferring the notion of wilderness from a North
American to a more universal setting (Eidsvik 1985). Nevertheless, increased public
awareness of the environment, sustainable development, World Heritage areas, Biosphere
Reserves and other sites of international conservation significance highlight the
worldwide attention given to the preservation of the earth's remaining wilderness areas.
Indeed, the IUCN General Assembly in 1984 recommended 'that all nations identify,
designate and protect their wilderness areas on both public and private lands' (Resolution
16/34, in Eidsvik 1987:19). Yet such measures need to have a basis by which wilderness
may be identified if it is to succeed. Although a wilderness inventory has been
undertaken in the United States and is of increasing interested in Europe (Fritz et al.
2000; Carver et al. 2002), probably the most sustained research programme on wilderness
identification occurred in Australia, and it is to this case study that we now turn.
CASE STUDY: Wilderness inventory in Australia
One of the key elements in preserving wilderness is the identification of areas of high-
quality wilderness that can be incorporated into a legally based national wilderness
system. In 1985 the Australian Conservation Foundation and other conservation groups,
particularly the Wilderness Society, led the Council of Nature Conservation Ministers
(CONCOM) Working Group on Management of National Parks to examine the
establishment of a nationwide system of wilderness areas. CONCOM (1985)
recommended that
an inventory of potential wilderness areas should be compiled by all states
and Territories, where possible in consultation with user groups. The
inventory would assess areas within existing parks and extend to other
land if appropriate. It would be desirable for a consistent approach to be
adopted for the surveys.
(CONCOM 1985:7)
However, the hopes of CONCOM were not met. Despite both the quality and quantity of
research, no consistent approach to evaluating wilderness in Australia has been accepted
by all participants in the process of wilderness identification and management, although
the Australian Heritage Commission's National Wilderness Inventory Programme came
closest. This situation may be due to the academic nature of most wilderness research, the
geographic differences between regions the politics of wilderness preservation or it may
