"an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." -- 1964 Wilderness Act

In this thoughtful assessment of wilderness management policy and practice, geographer Gundars Rudzitis explores the ongoing conflicts over the protection/exploitation of our western wilderness areas. He separates the romantic myth of the Wild West from past and present realities, and considers the influence of the traditional self-image of the Westerner on wilderness management policy. Rudzitis also explores the role of Native...