Today is the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act! This act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 created a National Wilderness Preservation System of wilderness areas now totaling over 110 million acres in 750 areas across the country. Mesa Verde’s wilderness area was specifically designated in October 1976 and includes 8,500 acres of our park. Ours is one of a few unique areas which also include historic preservation as a value and opportunity in the wilderness to make sure that the cultural sites are equally recognized and protected. President Johnson once said after signing the act that If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them something more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it. Thank you for helping us celebrate Mesa Verde’s contribution to those future generations! (photo credits to Robert Jenson and Joelle Marier, NPS) (mcm)
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 12:00:00 +0000
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