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Wilderness 2.0: Understanding How People Experience & Value Wilderness

  • Article
  • Middle School
  • 1 Classroom Period
  • Recreation
  • Social Science
  • Wilderness
  • Case Study
  • Ecosystem Services
  • Social Science
  • U.S. National Preservation System
  • Wilderness Act
  • Wilderness Benefits
  • Wilderness Experiences
PDF preview of Wilderness 2.0 article.
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Sharing experiences is an important way for people to think about experiences they have had and better understand how those experiences relate to their entire life. The scientists in this study were interested in how people share their wilderness experiences and how this sharing affects a person’s relationship with wilderness.

Wilderness 2.0: Understanding How People Experience & Value Wilderness

Part Of

Wilderness 2.0 (Wilderness 50 Monograph Series) - Vol. 1 No. 10

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  • In this FACTivity, you will answer the question, “Does writing and reflecting on an experience help you to learn or understand something better?” An extension activity where you will write...

    FACTivity – Wilderness 2.0

    • Activity
    • Middle School
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • Recreation
    • Wilderness
    • Blogging
    • Class Discussion
    • Outdoor Activity
    • Reflection
    • Writing Activity
    In this FACTivity, you will answer the question, “Does writing and reflecting on an experience help you to learn or understand something better?” An extension activity where you will write...
    Explore Activity Download FACTivity (PDF)
    Explore Activity Download FACTivity (PDF)

    Part Of

    Wilderness 2.0 (Wilderness 50 Monograph Series) - Vol. 1 No. 10

  • Explain what each of these photos means in relation to the “Wilderness 2.0” article. You may write your explanation or hold a class discussion.

    eyeChallenge – Wilderness 2.0

    • Activity
    • Middle School
    • Less than 30 minutes
    • Recreation
    • Wilderness
    • Image Challenge
    Explain what each of these photos means in relation to the “Wilderness 2.0” article. You may write your explanation or hold a class discussion.
    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)
    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)

    Part Of

    Wilderness 2.0 (Wilderness 50 Monograph Series) - Vol. 1 No. 10

  • After reading “Wilderness 2.0,” test your knowledge with a crossword puzzle.

    Crossword – Wilderness 2.0

    • Activity
    • Middle School
    • Less than 30 minutes
    • Recreation
    • Wilderness
    • Vocabulary
    • Word Game
    After reading “Wilderness 2.0,” test your knowledge with a crossword puzzle.
    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)
    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)

    Part Of

    Wilderness 2.0 (Wilderness 50 Monograph Series) - Vol. 1 No. 10

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Glossary

View All Glossary
  • aesthetic

    (es thet ik): Of or relating to beauty or what is beautiful.

  • altitude sickness

    (al tə t(y)üd sik nəs): The effects (such as headache, nausea, or swelling of the brain) of oxygen deficiency in the blood and tissues that develop at high altitudes with reduced atmospheric pressure.

  • analyze

    (a nǝ līz): To study or find out the nature and relationship of the parts of something.

  • ecosystem service

    (ē kō si stǝm sǝr vǝs): Any of the various benefits provided by plants, animals, and the communities they form.

  • encompass

    (in kǝm pəs): To include or surround.

  • exemplify

    (ig zem plə fī): To serve as an example of.

  • intrigue

    (in trēg): To arouse the interest, desire, or curiosity of.

  • mass media

    (mas mēd ē ə): Means of communication, such as newspapers, magazines, and online communication, that reach a wide variety of people.

  • remote

    (ri mōt): (1) Far removed in place, time, or relation; (2) secluded.

  • rugged

    (rəg əd): Having a rough, uneven surface.

  • untrammeled

    (un tra məl[d]): Unrestrained; free.

  • Photo of Daniel Williams hiking in the Sierra Nevada wearing a large backpack and carrying walking sticks.

    Daniel Williams

    Social Scientist

    “My favorite science experience is getting paid to visit some of the most beautiful places on Earth as part of fieldwork.” “[Another} favorite science experience is that, as I study...
    View Profile
  • Dr. Joseph Champ standing in front of green mountains

    Joseph Champ

    Media Scholar

    My favorite science experience was interviewing families in Colorado about their relationship with the environment. I found that many of them were experiencing the natural world by way of mass...
    View Profile

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  • Education Standards
  • Educator Guide
  • Lesson Plans
  • Education Files
  • Project Learning Tree

Standards addressed in this Article:

Social Studies Standards

Social Studies Standards are educational guidelines outlining the essential knowledge, skills, and concepts students should learn in subjects such as history, geography, civics, and economics, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of societal structures, historical events, and global perspectives.
  • Culture
  • People, Places, and Environments
  • Power, Authority, and Governance
  • Production, Distribution, and Consumption
  • Science, Technology, and Society
  • Time, Continuity, and Change

Note To Educators

The Forest Service's Mission

The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.

USDA and Forest Service Logos

What Is the Natural Inquirer?

Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.

Natural Inquirer bee sitting at a desk with paper and pencil

  • Meet the Scientists

    Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.

  • What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?

    Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.

  • Thinking About Science

    Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.

  • Thinking About the Environment

    Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.

  • Introduction

    Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.

  • Method

    Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.

  • Findings & Discussion

    Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.

  • Reflection Section

    Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.

  • Number Crunches

    Presents an easy math problem related to the research.

  • Glossary

    Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.

  • Citation

    Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.

  • FACTivity

    Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.


Science Education Standards

You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.


We Welcome Feedback

  • Contact

    Jessica Nickelsen
    Director, Natural Inquirer program

  • Email

    Contact us here.

Lessons

  • This lesson plan helps students explore how wilderness has been supported (or not supported) by politicians over United States history.

    Lesson Plan – Wilderness 50

    • Lesson Plan
    • Middle School
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Wilderness
    • Reserach Project
    • Wilderness Benefits
    This lesson plan helps students explore how wilderness has been supported (or not supported) by politicians over United States history.
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Part Of

    Pack to Back: Investigating Backpacking and Other Backcountry and Wilderness Activities

Education Files

Project Learning Tree

If you are a Project Learning Tree-trained educator, you may also use the following activities as an added resource: “400-Acre Wood;” “Loving It Too Much.”

Jump To

  • Additional Resources

Additional Resources

  • USDA Forest Service: Indian Peaks Wilderness

    Indian Peaks Wilderness is a popular destination for hiking, fising, and more. The Wilderness is divided into 17 backcountry zones, each with a permit quota to limit the adverse impacts due to repeated use.

    Visit Website
  • USDA Forest Service: White River National Forest

    The White River National Forest is a world-renowned recreation destination home to iconic destinations such as Maroon Bells and Hanging Lake, 11 ski resorts, 10 peaks over 14,000 feet, and eight wilderness areas that cover more than a third of its acreage. Traveling through its five ranger districts, you can explore the classic Colorado Rocky Mountains of the Gore, Tenmile, Sawatch and Elk Ranges as well as the distinctly unique Flat Tops.

    Visit Website
  • USDA Forest Service: Ashley National Forest

    The Ashley National Forest encompasses about 1.4 million acres in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Of the total acres, 276,175 are High Uintas Wilderness.

    The national forest is located in three major areas: the northern and southern slopes of the Uinta Mountains, the Wyoming Basin, and the Tavaputs Plateau. Elevations range from 5,500 feet on the Green River to 13,528 feet at the summit of King’s Peak (the highest point in Utah). About 70 percent of the Ashley falls within the Uinta Mountains. This is the largest east-west trending mountain range in the lower 48 states.

    Visit Website
  • USDA Forest Service: Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

    The Forest encompasses 2.2 million acres in Northern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Offices are located in South Jordan, Logan, Ogden, Salt Lake, Pleasant Grove, Spanish Fork, Heber, Kamas, and Evanston and Mountain View, Wyoming.

    Visit Website
  • Wilderness.net

    Connecting federal employees, scientists, educators, and the public with their wilderness heritage.

    Visit Website
  • The Wild Foundation

    Saving Earth’s wilderness has the power to halt climate change, end mass extinction, and decrease the frequency of pandemics. The science is clear. To stop and reverse climate change, we must protect and restore wilderness. To save Earth’s biodiversity, comprising millions of life forms, from mass extinction, we must protect and restore wilderness. To decrease the frequency of novel viruses, we must protect and restore wilderness.

    Visit Website
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The Natural Inquirer program produces a variety of science education materials for PreK through grade 12. Natural Inquirer products are produced by the USDA Forest Service, FIND Outdoors, and other cooperators and partners.

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