In addition to research supporting wilderness, we study topics related to wildlife and fish, air quality, integrated adaptive management of natural resources, ecological restoration, inventory and monitoring, vegetation ecology and management, fire, watershed, riparian and aquatics research, disturbance ecology, and human dimensions in natural resource management. The Concern over Wilderness Human pressures continue to mount on our nation's limited wilderness land. To assure the long-term sustainability of wilderness, we must increase our understanding of the dynamics of natural ecosystems, the ecological and social values derived from such systems, and the effects of human activities on them. A sound scientific basis is required to understand the various internal and external threats to wilderness. Federally designated wilderness areas include over 103 million acres managed by the Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service.
State governments manage additional natural areas for similar values.
A primary biological benefit of these areas is the protection of the natural diversity of life. Societal benefits include recreation, personal growth, education, and scientific study of relatively intact ecosystems. The Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute has a 30-year history of multiagency wilderness research and university partnerships. This unique multidisciplinary and interagency collaboration provides national and international scientific leadership in developing and applying the knowledge needed to protect and preserve wilderness.