Guest Editorial By Jeffrey Hunter, Southeast Field Coordinator for the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition.

Protecting public lands is a uniquely American idea dating back to the mid 1800’s. Tennessee has played no small role in that history. In 1863, General U.S. Grant was here in Chattanooga for the Battle of Lookout Mountain. On March 1, 1872, legislation to establish the world’s first National Park – Yellowstone – was signed into law by President Grant. In 1890, several additional National Parks were established including Sequoia, Yosemite, and Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park. Chattanooga’s Military Park, including parts of Lookout Mountain, was the first National Park created to study the Civil War here in America.

In the years that followed, the US Forest Service was established (1905), and the National Park Service was created (1916). While the establishment of these new federal agencies was an idea whose time had come, there were some who argued that it was not enough. Our nation was expanding rapidly and our natural heritage was at risk. As early as 1921, Aldo Leopold expressed concern that “the parks are being networked with roads and trails as rapidly as possible.” Leopold and other Americans wanted some parts of our wild landscape permanently protected from road building, dams, timber harvest, mining, and other development activities. In 1935, Leopold, Harvey Broome (from Knoxville, TN), Benton MacKaye (the originator of the Appalachian Trail concept), and Robert “Bob” Marshall (the Chief of Recreation and Lands for the Forest Service) formed The Wilderness Society (TWS) to push for greater protection for our public lands. The next year (1936), the Cherokee National Forest was established in Tennessee.

As a result of hard work by a dedicated group of individuals, the Wilderness Act of 1964 was enacted. This historic piece of legislation established our nation’s beloved Wilderness Preservation System, and offers protection “in perpetuity” for portions of our public lands here in the United States. Since then, tens of millions of acres have been protected as wilderness, including the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness (1975). In 1984, the Bald River Gorge Wilderness, Citico Creek Wilderness, and Big Frog Wilderness areas were created. In 1986, the Little Frog Wilderness was added to the wilderness system. These lands provide clean water, vital wildlife habitat, and places for Americans to recreate quietly, away from the hustle and bustle of modern society.

It has been 23 years since new wilderness areas have been established in Tennessee. In 2004, the Forest Service recommended expanding wilderness protection in the Cherokee National Forest. A citizen’s group – Tennessee Wild – has since formed to advocate for federal legislation to formalize the Forest Service recommendations. We have also recommended some modest additions to the Forest Service’s recommendations. In total, Tennessee Wild is seeking wilderness protection for nearly 18,000 acres of the Cherokee. All of these lands are currently in public ownership. The Chattanooga Nature Center recently endorsed Tennessee Wild’s conservation vision, and wants you, the members of Chattanooga Nature Center, to help to make this a reality. In order to accomplish this goal, we need to pass federal legislation to protect the Cherokee for both current and future generations.

Starting on September 5, 2009, the Chattanooga Nature Center will offer a series of five hikes in six weeks to areas where we are seeking wilderness protection. These hikes are free and open to the public. I encourage you to join me along with staff from Chattanooga Nature Center, as we explore Tennessee’s wildlands. These lands are rugged and wild, and home to an incredible array of flora and fauna. Even if you can’t join us for a hike, there are things that you can do to make a difference. A Wilderness Workshop planned for October 31, 2009 at the Nature Center will teach the skills necessary to expand wilderness here in Tennessee.

Please join us. Together, we can make a difference.

Jeffrey Hunter is the Southeast Field Coordinator for the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition. He is an avid hiker, an aspiring naturalist, and trail maintainer who walked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 2000. In addition, he has backpacked in wilderness areas all across America including parts of the Continental Divide Trail and Pacific Crest Trail with his daughter Martha. He and his wife Suzanne live in the Caretaker’s Cabin at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Garden.

For more information about wilderness in Tennessee, please visit http://tnwild.org.