Wilderness refers to those areas of land that have not been significantly changed directly or indirectly by human activity; usually, areas that humans may visit but not permanently inhabit. The ecosystem characteristics and natural habitats of wilderness have remained relatively intact. Wilderness is also a designation for protected areas in North America. The Asian, European, and African continents have been inhabited for so long that the term is less employed there.

wilderness area, wilderness designation, conservation area, refuge, access, management, permanent protection, wilderness ethic, minimal direct human activity, minimal human interference, uninhabited, undeveloped land, conservation, environmental protection, Wilderness Act, National Wilderness Preservation System, wilderness impacts, trails, off-road vehicles, invasive plants, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, natural regulation, let-burn policy, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Parks Service

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