“We are a nation of incredible wild spaces and a bounty of public lands. We are rich in freedom in nature! If we can muster up some strength, we can be the country that preserves the most wild spaces in the world.”

“Our community's tourism-based economy also depends on access to these lands for multiple reasons—every job is just one degree away from supporting people who live and vacation here because of our wilderness areas.”

“Wilderness is a place where I can tap into both fortitude and softness. The remote and rugged wildernesses I've explored have called me to be strong, steady, and brave in the face of real, life-affirming challenges.”

“Well, I met my wife in Wilderness, on a long hike I was undertaking. She had heard from mutual friends that I was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. The long journey through 49 wilderness areas interested her. Plans were made, she joined me around Mt. Hood, and here we are today 32 years later, still getting out in the wild.”

“Archeological materials like scarlet macaw feathers and bones, copper bells, and ceremonial cacao have been found in wild and historic places across the Colorado Plateau. Wilderness reminds: Latinos have always belonged here and we always will.”

“Wilderness and outdoor recreation matters to me because as a young person, I want my future to involve less screens, and more trees.”

“As an ecologist, I see it as critical to maintain areas that are primarily influenced by nature, not by human disturbance. With the increasing numbers of people who want to see, enjoy, and visit wilderness, we need more and bigger wilderness areas to keep up!”

“Wild areas are far more than lines on the map. They are headwaters of drinking watersheds, strongholds for great forests capturing and storing massive amounts of carbon, havens for biodiversity, corridors for wildlife, and sanctuaries for the human spirit.”

“Aside from hikers, mountain bikers and autumn leaf peepers, these mountains, and the wilderness areas at their hearts provide solace, clean water and air, and a sense of pervasive life that makes this such a beautiful, nurturing place to live. Oh yeah...and jobs!”

“When I enter a Wilderness Area my soul is uplifted due to solitude, scenery, wildlife encounters, quiet. I escape the distractions of my  normal day-to-day activities, the news, TV, computer and text messages. I can reflect on my life—and people in my life—past and present.”

“Experiencing wilderness with my own kids has opened my eyes to the raw power of wild places. Wilderness ignited a fire of curiosity and wonder in them.”

“For me, wilderness is most interesting when we wrestle with it not as an instrument for deciding outdated ideas about what landscapes are pristine or not pristine, but as the anchor to a spectrum of conservation designations without which it would be impossible to solve our nation's ecological and recreational challenges.”

“My hope is that people continue to appreciate the necessity of wilderness for its practical uses, but more importantly its intangible values. That people will teach their children and students to respect it. That people vote for politicians who respect the intrinsic value of wilderness rather than seeking ways to exploit it for financial gain. That people go out and enjoy it!”

“Every time I have the privilege to experience wilderness, my heart rate drops and my whole body smiles. Wilderness is majestic, beautiful, and offers many meaningful experiences.”

“These are places I physically depend on for clean water and clean air. And they are places I depend on for connection to friends and family, community, my favorite memories, and to a much bigger, wilder world.”

“Wilderness makes me pause, reset, and its reminds me that I am not separate. It leaves me with hope for a better time.”

“I hope that advocates for wilderness in the future cast a wide net—across the political spectrum and various backgrounds—to protect these places but crucially make it so wilderness is not led by any certain group or background. Rather, I hope wilderness will be viewed as something that can be accessed, enjoyed, and loved by all.”

“Protection, protection, protection. We must do all that we can to work towards continued protection of our wilderness areas. Encourage our young folks to get out and experience what wilderness is so they can be the continued champions in the coming years to continue the work of protecting her.”

“When we protect nature and allow ecosystems to develop and thrive without our interference, we're really investing in our own future.”

“The unique jewels of American wilderness are not replaceable, nor can they be recreated once destroyed. They are places that are and should be viewed as sacred: as trusts to be handed down to future generations intact and thriving.”