Sometimes it"s nice to get away. Thanks to environmentalist Howard Zahniser, Americans can do that in one of the country"s many wildernesses—areas sheltered from human activities. While conservation efforts like the creation of national forests and parks began in the late 1800s, untamed wilderness had dwindled to only 2.5% of the nation"s land by the 1960s. To reverse this trend, Zahniser wrote most of what became the Wilderness Act. Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on September 3, 1964, it today protects more than 109 million acres—5% of the land in the US.
Wilderness Act anniversary
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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National Pumpkin Day
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Greater flamingos, Lüderitz, Namibia
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Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
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Gdańsk on the banks of the Motława, Poland
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Last day of National Park Week
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Crimson-rumped toucanet in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves, Ecuador
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Burrowing owls
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A castle fit for a count
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Gazing down on planet Earth
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Red-leaf hunting in Japan
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Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico
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A great white egret in Hungary
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Autumn’s swan song
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Camel thorn trees, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
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Waiting for the perfect shot
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Happy New Year!
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Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
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The Zugspitze: Germany s highest point
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Haaga Rhododendron Park
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Salt ponds of Maras, Peru
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Carnival comes to Olinda
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The Battle of the Bulge 75 years later
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Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia
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Moose, Denali National Park, Alaska
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Gauchos showcase Argentina’s independent spirit
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A rest stop for the birds
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It’s Draw a Bird Day
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In celebration of America’s national bird
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Apples ready for harvest in Minnesota
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

