What is Wilderness? People from different cultures often have widely different perceptions of wilderness. Capital "W" Wilderness refers to designated areas established through law by an Act of Congress. Today, the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) consists of over 106 million acres of land managed by four federal agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Fish & Wildlife Service.

National Forests are managed for multiple uses providing items such as recreation, timber, clean water and wildlife habitat. Wilderness areas are unique on the Green Mountain National Forest with special management practices designed to:

• Preserve the natural character of the area.
• Allow natural forces to dominate the character of the land.
• Provide opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation challenges.
• Allow for undisturbed development of plant and animal species and protection of their habitat.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 legally defines Wilderness as areas:

Wilderness areas on the Green Mountain National Forest have been established by several Acts of Congress.  The Wilderness Act of 1964 led the way to the passage of the Eastern Wilderness Act of 1975, the Vermont Wilderness Act of 1984 and the New England Wilderness Act of 2006. The eight Wilderness areas currently make up approximately 101,000 acres (or 25 percent of the Green Mountain National Forest). The New England Wilderness Act of 2006 was signed into Law December 1, 2006 by President Bush which made 41,650 acres Wilderness on the Green Mountain National Forest. It also created the Joseph Battell Wilderness and the Glastenbury Wilderness.

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