Robert Mills | San Rafael, CA
Robert Mills is a lifelong mountain climber and backpacker in the wilds, parent, member of non-profit boards, class action lawyer for just causes.
Why does wilderness matter to you?
Wilderness reminds us that we are mere visitors in nature. It reminds us of the exquisite beauty of nature, and the importance of wild places where there are no humans and where everything is natural. Wilderness offers the opporrtunity to experience the rewards and insights of solitude, and the humility of being reminded of our insignificance in the vast universe. It also teaches us that we humans are the stewards of our world, including the wilderness, and it is our duty to protect, defend, restore, and nuture the remaining wild places and, indeed, all of nature, for the benefit of mankind and all life.
Why does wilderness matter to your community?
Wilderness offers recreational opportunities, but also opportunities to seek restoration of inner peace and joy. Humans need places where we can find solitude, where there are no other humans, places where there are no roads, structures, or human noise, where we can find and hear our inner voices.
Share a story about a special experience you have had in wilderness.
My special experiences have been in watching sunsets and sunrises from high on mountains in the wilderness, from looking up at night from my remote campsites into starry skies unpolluted by the lights of civilization. From listening to the wind in the trees, the happy sounds of babbling creeks, to birds singing and signaling to each other, to watching animals, unaware that they are being watched, going about their daily business.
What are your hopes for the future of wilderness?
I believe that wilderness is a unique treasure, a huge asset for all people, a place that heals human anxiety and stress, and provides joy and uneuberance about being alive that no other place can offer. I want to see the wilderness expanded, and children and young adults being taught in schools about the value of wilderness and the need to protect the wilderness that exists and to create more of it.
