Will Harlan | Asheville, NC

Will Harlan is the Southeast Director and Senior Scientist at Center for Biological Diversity.

Why does wilderness matter to you?

Wilderness is where I reconnect to what matters most. I feel most alive in wilderness.

Why does wilderness matter to your community?

Wilderness is our house of worship, artist studio, medicine cabinet, outdoor playground, and living laboratory.

Wilderness protects the best of what's left of the wild. It is the wild heartbeat of nature and the baseline of fully functioning ecosystems. It feeds us, nurtures us, and sustains us.

Share a story about a special experience you have had in wilderness.

Wilderness tugs on us like gravity. We travel long distances to stand atop mountains or stroll along seashores for reasons we can't quite put into words. Wilderness keeps alive a childlike wonder and enables us to see the world anew through fresh eyes.

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. In the Cumberland Island Wilderness, they stood awestruck as a sea turtle climbed ashore, dragging her ancient body onto the wild, windswept beach. In the Craggy Wilderness Study Area, they stood beneath a waterfall and soaked in wildness through every pore of their being.

What are your hopes for the future of wilderness?

Wilderness is home to the full family of life. All of the living lineages with whom we share the planet are present. Our ancestors and kin surround us in wilderness.

Wilderness areas are sacred spaces. We need them now more than ever.