On June 3rd, 1924 the Gila Wilderness became the world's first ever administratively designated wilderness. Forty years later when the Wilderness Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson the National Wilderness Preservation System was established and the Gila became a congressionally designated wilderness. Remarkably, even four decades before the United States Congress had the ability to designate wilderness, a U.S. Forest Service employee by the name of Aldo Leopold had a vision for the idea of wilderness protection. Leopold's unwavering commitment to protecting the Gila in its natural state led to the original designation. That initial, administrative designation began what would later become one of the most celebrated forms of permanent land protection in the United States. There are still some people who oppose the idea of designated wilderness areas, or other land protections. That was also the case when Leopold dreamed up his idea of wilderness and when the Wilderness Act was eventually passed. According to the historian James Trefethen, author of An American Crusade for Wildlife, consistent opposition was found in the House by the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. “The wilderness proposal was bitterly opposed by a coalition of western commercial interests, including the mining companies, timber corporations, and livestock associations.” These same industry groups continue to oppose ongoing land protection campaigns today. With history as our teacher though, we can clearly see that permanently protecting wild places for future generations pays off and in the long run these victories are overwhelmingly appreciated. Listen in as Dr. Karl Malcolm from the United States Forest Service moderates a panel consisting of Jeremy Romero of the National Wildlife Federation, Tisha Broska of NM WIld and Jesse Deubel of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. This group of modern-day conservationists share personal stories as they reflect on the world's first ever designated wilderness. Happy 100th birthday to the Gila Wilderness. Enjoy the listen!   

For more info:
National Wildlife Federation
United States Forest Service
NM Wild
New Mexico Wildlife Federation