Officially designated Wilderness has existed in the United States since passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964. But efforts to gain passage of the Act began decades earlier. Indeed, the concept of protecting Wilderness has its roots in the nation's first conservation effort, like designation of Yellowstone as the nation's first national park. But mere existence of the Wilderness Act does not guarantee protection for America's wild lands -- the battles continue today.

Conservation Timeline
Since the creation of Yellowstone National Park more than 125 years ago, America's leaders have heeded the call from its people to preserve our natural heritage. Learn about some of the major conservation laws and policies that help protect our environment using the timeline below.

1872 | 1897 | 1903 | 1905 | 1911 | 1916 | 1946 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1989 | 1970 | 1972 | 1973 | 1976 | 1978 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2002 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006

Wilderness Designations Since 1964
The chart below shows the 40+ year history of wilderness legislation. Click on any one of the bars on the graph to learn more about that year's legislation.

Conservation Timeline

1872

• Yellowstone becomes the nation's first national park.

1897

• The Forest "Organic" Act establishes the National Forest system for the purpose of "securing favorable conditions of water flow, and securing a continuous supply of timber..."

1903

• The nation's first wildlife refuge is formed when President Theodore Roosevelt protects Pelican Island, FL, from hunters decimating the island's bird population. Nearly 70 years later, the area is designated a Wilderness (in 1970), becoming the smallest designated Wilderness in the system (5 acres).

1905

• Department of Agriculture to manage forest reserves.

1911

• The Weeks Act appropriates $9 million dollars to purchase 6 million acres of land in the eastern United States for the purpose of establishing national forests.

1916

• The National Park Organic Act creates the National Park Service and establishes the National Park System in order to conserve scenery, wildlife, and "historic objects" for future generations.

1946

• The Grazing Service and the General Land Office are merged to form the Bureau of Land Management.

1960

• The Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act redefined the purpose of the national forests to include not only timber and watershed concerns, but also recreation, wildlife, fishing, hunting, and soil concerns.

1964

• The Wilderness Act is signed into law, designating 9.1 million acres as Wilderness (in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming).

• The Land & Water Conservation Fund Act is established to purchase park and refuge lands with royalties from offshore oil drilling.

1968

• Redwoods National Park in California and North Cascades National Park in Washington are established.

• The National Wild & Scenic Rivers and National Trails Acts are signed into law.

• Congress designates nearly 800,000 acres of wilderness in California, New Jersey, Oregon, & Washington.

1969

• Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin calls for national teach-in on the environment to be called "Earth Day".

• Congress designates 161,500 acres of wilderness in California (Desolation, Ventana).

1970

• April 22 - an estimated 20 million people participate in "Earth Day" demonstrations and activities across the country.

• Environmental Protection Agency established.

• Clean Air Act signed into law.

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) signed into law. Requires an analysis of the environmental impacts of federal actions.

• Nearly 200,000 acres of wilderness are designated by Congress (in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, & Wisconsin), including the nation's smallest wilderness area, 5-acre Pelican Island, in Florida.

• President's Council on Environmental Quality established. CEQ advises and assists the President on environmental policies; oversees federal agencies implementation of the environmental impact assessment process.

1972

• Clean Water Act signed into law.

• The carcinogenic pesticide DDT is banned.

• Congress designates nearly 1 million acres of wilderness in Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, & Wyoming.

1973

• Endangered Species Act signed into law. Protects habitat for plants and wildlife.

1974

• Eastern Wilderness Areas Act designates 207,000 acres of wilderness on national lands in 13 states. This Act corrected the Forest Service's stubborn misinterpretation, reaffirming the congressional intent of the 1964 Wilderness Act that lands recovering from prior abuse can be designated as wilderness. In fact, such lands were included among the original areas designated by the Wilderness Act itself (e.g. Shining Rock, Great Gulf, Linville Gorge in the east, and numerous portions of areas in the west, too), and were designated by Congress in the early post-Wilderness Act years (e.g. Great Swamp NWR wilderness designated in 1968, including a then-open paved township road, which was closed and removed).

• Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act establishes planning process for all forest and rangeland resources.

• Congress designates the Okefenokee Wilderness Area in the National Wildlife Refuge of thesame name (over 340,000 acres).

1976

• National Forest Management Act (NFMA) Requires the U.S. Forest Service to include economic, wildlife, wilderness and recreational uses in planning.
  
• Over 1.7 million acres of wilderness designated by Congress in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, & Wyoming.

• Federal Lands Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) Governs the use of the national lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

1978

• Omnibus Parks Act adds Santa Monica Mountains, Golden Gateway, and Golden Gate National Recreation Areas to the National Park System.
• Over 5.5 million acres of wilderness designated by Congress in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, & Wyoming.

1980

• Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) established 13 new national parks, 16 new national wildlife refuges and 2 new national forests, adding 56 million acres to the National Wilderness Preservation System, including the largest wilderness area in the system, Wrangell-St. Elias in Alaska, which now includes 9,676,994 acres. (Other wilderness designated in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, South Carolina, & South Dakota.)

1982

• Congress designates 20,000+ acres of wilderness in Florida, Georgia, Indiana.

1983

• Congress designates 20,000+ acres of wilderness in Florida, Georgia, Indiana.

1984

• New wilderness areas totaling 8.6 million acres established in 21 states (Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.).

1985

• Kentucky wilderness bill adds 11,662 acres of designated wilderness on national forests in the state.

1986

• Wilderness bills pass, protecting 41,818 acres in Georgia; 7,794 acres in Nebraska; 32,473 acres in Tennessee; and 2,374 acres in Texas -- all on national forest lands.

1987

• Some 91,891 acres of national forest wildlands in Michigan get the protection of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

1988

• Four wilderness bills pass:
  Alabama - 13,260 acres of national forest land in the Sipsey Wilderness; Virginia - 19,217 acres of national forest lands; Washington - 1,739,771 acres on National Park lands; West Virginia - 2,721 acres of national forest lands.

1989

• Nevada wilderness -- 721,403 acres of national forest and 6,458 acres of BLM wildlands are designated.

1990

• Wilderness is designated in:
  Alaska - 299,531 acres of national forest lands; Arizona - 1,343,444 acres of National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness; 1,133,660 acres of BLM lands. Illinois - 25,549 acres of national forest lands; Maine - 12,000 acres of national forest lands.

1991

• A Georgia wilderness bill adds 24,200 acres of national forest lands to the National Wilderness Preservation System.

1992

• California wilderness bill adds 400,450 acres of national forest lands to National Wilderness Preservation System.

1993

• Colorado wilderness bill adds 609,206 acres of national forest lands and 16,989 acres of BLM lands to the National Wilderness Preservation System.

1994

• California Desert Protection Act brings the National Wilderness Preservation System up to 104.7 million acres and establishes the Mojave National Preserve. Designated U.S. wilderness now amounts to a little more than four percent of the total U.S. land base.

• The bald eagle is upgraded to a "threatened" species on the Endangered Species List (it was originally listed as "endangered," the more critical status).

1995

• Sen. Gaylord Nelson, founder of "Earth Day" awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

• Mojave National Park established in California.

1996

• President Clinton establishes Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah.

• The Omnibus Parks Act establishes the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas, and the Opal Creek Wilderness in Oregon (although Opal Creek will not meet standards for Wilderness designation until 1998).

1997

• Congress Passes Law Increasing Protection in National Wildlife Refuges
  There are more than 500 national wildlife refuges, located in all 50 states. Despite their name, many of these sanctuaries are threatened by military exercises, jet skiing, livestock grazing, and other activities. The new law, the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act, sets wildlife conservation as the top priority in the refuge system and provides for more science-based management and long-term planning.

• Ending Gridlock in Major National Parks
  A once-in-a-century flood devastated Yosemite Valley in January, causing physical and economic hardship for many and damaging certain park features and structures. But the flood also prompted the federal government to move ahead, at long last, with a 1980 plan to decommercialize Yosemite Valley. Central to that plan is creation of a transportation system that enables visitors to leave their vehicles outside the park and move into--and around--the valley on public transportation. Yosemite announced its plan in October. Then, in November, the National Park Service and the Department of Transportation signed an agreement to work together to significantly reduce traffic in Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks.
  

• Funding to Protect Yellowstone, Headwaters Forest, Everglades, and Other Lands
  Yellowstone National Park was threatened by a proposed mine just north of its border. Logging was planned for the Headwaters Forest, the largest privately-owned stand of ancient redwoods left in California. The Everglades ecosystem needed land bought to help alleviate serious water quality and quantity problems. Congress appropriated money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to tackle all three needs. In addition, money was provided for acquisition of important natural and recreation areas in 38 other states.

• Ban on Oil and Gas Drilling along the Rocky Mountain Front
  Gloria Flora, Supervisor of the Lewis and Clark National Forest, announced in September that no oil and gas development would be allowed along the 70 miles of the Rocky Mountain Front that lies within that forest. This spectacular area is considered by biologists to rank within the top two percent of wildlife habitat in the U.S. The oil industry has filed an appeal.

1998

• The Opal Creek Wilderness Area in Oregon, at 20,724 acres, is designated by Congress.

• President Clinton issues his directive to the USFS to conduct an EIS leading to possible long-term protection of 50-60 million acres of roadless lands.

1999

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, Colorado is made a National Park. Redesignation addes 22,000 acres of park Wilderness and 4,700 acres of BLM Wilderness to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
  

• President Clinton issues his directive to the USFS to conduct an EIS leading to possible long-term protection of 50-60 million acres of roadless lands.

• The Dugger Mountain Wilderness Act designates 9,200 acres in the Talladega National Forest, 70 miles east of Birmingham, AL.

2000

• Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness designated 75,000 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management outside of Grand Junction, CO as the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Area and also created the adjacent 122,000-acre Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area.

• Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Wilderness permanently protected approximately 757,000 acres of land managed by the BLM in northwestern Nevada as Wilderness. The areas designated as Wilderness were encompassed in 11 existing Wilderness Study Areas. The measure also created the nearly 800,000 acre Black Rock Desert Emigrant Trail National Conservation Area (much of the Wilderness acreage overlaps with the boundaries of the NCA). This unique region is home to huge playas, rugged mountains, and a wide array of wildlife. The historic Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail, which played a pivotal role in the western migration and California Gold Rush, runs through the heart of the region. Passage of this bill has effectively *doubled* the amount of designated Wilderness in the state of Nevada. The measure was sponsored by Senator Richard Bryan (D-NV) and co-sponsored by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV).

• Gunnison Gorge Wilderness & the Expansion of Black Canyon of the Gunnison expanded the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness Area by 4,419 acres and designated the 17,700-acre Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Area (total of 22,119 acres). The measure also redesignated the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument as a National Park. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) and Representative Scott McInnis (R-CO).

• Otay Mountain Wilderness designated 18,500 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in southern California as the Otay Mountain Wilderness Area. The Otay Mountains are home to the Tecate Cypress and more than a dozen other sensitive species. The measure was sponsored by Representative Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA).

• Spanish Peaks Wilderness designated 18,000 acres of high mountain forest land (reaching elevations of up to 13,626 feet) in the San Isabel National Forest in Colorado as the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Area. This area has been studied and considered for wilderness designation for nearly two decades. The U.S. Forest Service first recommended creating a wilderness area around the peaks in 1979. The bill was sponsored by Representative Scott McInnis (R-CO) and Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO).

• Steens Mountain Wilderness designated approximately 172,000 acres of Wilderness in eastern Oregon as the Steens Mountain Wilderness Area. Of the Wilderness designated by the measure, 100,000 acres are "cow-free." Steens Mountain located in Oregon's high desert is one of the crown jewels of the state's wildlands. It is some of the wildest and most remote land left in Oregon. The legislation is the result of months of intense negotiations between Oregon's Governor, the state's congressional delegation, public land managers, ranchers and conservationists. It was sponsored by Representative Greg Walden (R-OR) and Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith (R-OR).

• Priest & Three Ridges Wilderness designated two Wilderness areas on the George Washington National Forest in Virginia: the 5,963-acre Priest Wilderness Area and the 4,608-acre Three Ridges Wilderness Area. Both of these areas are located in the northern part of the National Forest and lie east of the town of Montebello and the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County. The Appalachia Trail runs through both the Priest and Three Ridges Wilderness areas. The measure was sponsored by Representative Virgil Goode (Ind.-VA) and Senators Chuck Robb (D-VA) and John Warner (R-VA). 

2002

• Wilderness designated in Nevada totalling 140,716 acres, on BLM and National Park Service lands.  Areas designated: Arrow Canyon, Black Canyon, Bridge Canyon, Eldorado, Ireteba, Jimbilnan, and Jumbo Springs.
  
  
• James Peak Wilderness (Colorado) designated, totalling 14,000 acres of Forest Service land.

2004

• Gaylord A. Nelson Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Wilderness, WI: Designation of 33,500 acres of wild land on the waters of Lake Superior. Known as the ancestral home of the Ojibwe people, the Apostle Islands include remarkable cliff formations, sea caves and some of the most pristine sandscapes remaining in the Great Lakes region. The Apostle Islands wilderness designation is a fitting testament honoring the conservation legacy of Gaylord Nelson, U.S. Senator, governor, and founder of Earth Day.
  
  
• Lincoln County, NV: Designation of 14new wilderness areas, totaling more than 768,000 acres in Lincoln County. Supported by the state’s entire Congressional delegation, the legislation is another step forward in conserving Nevada’s spectacular landscape and wildlife habitat for future generations. Regrettably, the final legislation contained provisions that conservationists opposed -- including grants of rights-of-way for utility and water pipeline corridors and short-cuts for effective environmental review. Nevertheless, this represents the largest single wilderness designation in the state’s history and one of the largest such Congressional actions in the last decade.

2005

• El Toro Wilderness, PR: Signed into law in December 2005, the Caribbean National Forest Act designates 10,000 acres of National Forest System land in Puerto Rico as the El Toro Wilderness. The forest, just 25 miles from San Juan, is vitally important to the people of Puerto Rico as a source of clean drinking water and recreational opportunities. The designation of the El Toro Wilderness will ensure that this one-of-a-kind forest is protected for future generations. The forest features 50 varieties of orchids and the Puerto Rican parrot, one of the ten most endangered birds in the world. The forest is home to 240 native tree species, more than are found in any other national forest. Learn more here. 
  
  
• Ojito Wilderness, NM: In October 2005, President Bush signed the Ojito Wilderness Act into law (Public Law No. 109-94), designating 11,183 acres of picturesque public land northwest of Albuquerque as Wilderness. The Ojito Wilderness is the first new wilderness area in New Mexico in 18 years and one of only a handful of wilderness areas designated on land in the state managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The measure also allows the Pueblo of Zia to purchase certain public lands buffering the area. The lands to be purchased by the Pueblo of Zia will remain open to the general public and will be managed as open, undeveloped space in perpetuity. Learn more here.

2006

• Cedar Mountain Wilderness, UT: This 100,000-acre wilderness designation is part of the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) Protection Act, which was attached to the final version of the large Defense Authorization Act approved by Congress in December 2005. This legislation not only preserves this special wild area with exceptional recreational and natural features, but also allows the Air Force continued use of the Utah Test and Training Range, which includes air space above the wilderness area. Learn more here.