Managing Special Provisions in Wilderness
These courses are hosted by the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center.
Aircraft and Motorboats
After taking this course, participants will know the circumstances when landing of aircraft and motorboat use is allowed in wilderness; recognize how special language in designating legislation may impact aircraft and motorboat use (including Alaskan circumstances allowed by ANILCA); and review appropriate maintenance of facilities to enable approved use of aircraft and motorboats in wilderness.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Commercial Services
After taking this course, participants will differentiate Commercial Enterprise (generally forbidden) from Commercial Service (may be allowed); define "necessary" in regard to commercial services in wilderness; define the relationship between capacity and the extent necessary; describe pitfalls and misconceptions regarding Commercial Service; and make a determination of the "extent necessary" for a commercial service in their wilderness.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Fire
This course reviews the appropriate management of fire in wilderness, including the use of prescribed fire and fuel treatments. This course is not a replacement for fire training. This course will help participants: recognize the natural role of fire in their wilderness, locate their agency's policy for managing wilderness fire; differentiate between managing fire in wilderness and fire outside of wilderness; be able to contribute as a participant in the fire management planning process and on ongoing projects/incidents; describe the responsibilities of wilderness specialists and fire management specialists; and, explain the process that should be applied to determine appropriate use of fire for resource benefits and non-fire fuel treatments.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Grazing
This course is about grazing in wilderness as it applies to special provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The course provides a broad overview of the legal framework that supports wilderness grazing, reviews how grazing may impact the land, and introduces the types of plans that are used to manage grazing.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Inholdings and Rights-Of-Way
This course addresses the management of rights-of-way and access to inholdings in designated wilderness. This course will help participants: describe an approach to managing inholdings, edgeholdings, and rights-of-way that is consistent with the Wilderness Act, identify key issues in processing an authorization for access, describe allowable maintenance of access routes, identify non-vehicular rights-of-way that may be located in wilderness, and define an RS2477 public right-of-way and explain how it might be managed in a wilderness.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Insects and Disease
This course reviews the appropriate management considerations for managing insects and disease in wilderness. This course does not cover non-native plants, including weeds, and it does not cover disease in wildlife species. After completing this course, participants will be better equipped to: recognize the impact of managing insects and disease on wilderness character; locate their agency's policy for managing insects and disease in wilderness; differentiate between controlling exotic versus native insects and diseases in wilderness and outside of wilderness; discuss actions that are appropriate and effective for controlling insects and disease in wilderness; and explain the basic options of how climate change may impact the management of insects and disease in wilderness. If you would like information on invasive exotic plants, including weeds, please take Natural Resource Management in Wilderness: Vegetation.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Minerals
This course addresses the management of mineral resources in wilderness. The focus of the course is mineral rights associated with commercially marketable minerals, but the course also addresses prospecting, recreational activities, scientific activities, abandoned mines and similar mineral related uses. The goal of the course is to provide wilderness specialists with a fundamental knowledge of mineral management principles so that they are prepared to coordinate with the minerals staff, and to provide the minerals staff with wilderness management principles as they relate to mineral uses. The course addresses the management balance between preserving wilderness character and managing allowable mineral related activities.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Water Rights
This course highlights the need to engage with water rights issues to preserve wilderness character. This course will help learners: understand the basics of how water rights function, the extent of the water right associated with wilderness, how to prioritize work towards safeguarding water rights, and the basic elements of the work required to accomplish these tasks. Though the course will not make you a water rights expert, it will provide wilderness managers with sufficient knowledge of the topic, so as to engage with other staff in the important work of securing and maintaining water rights. The course is also intended to bring awareness to hydrologists, realty specialists, and biologists of the importance water rights play in preserving wilderness character.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Wildlife
This course places wildlife jurisdiction and stewardship responsibilities in the context of the Wilderness Act. After completing this course, participants should be able to: explain who has the authority for which aspects of wildlife management in wilderness; locate wildlife management regulations/policies; explain common misconceptions in the application of agency policies; interpret "different" language concerning wildlife management in subsequent laws that designate a wilderness; describe how wildlife issues extend beyond wilderness boundaries and the implications for management; and recognize that some species may need more substantial management in order to be maintained as part of preserving wilderness character.
There is one strongly recommended prerequisite for this course, The Wilderness Act of 1964.
Registration
Register for any or all of these courses by visiting the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University (using the links provided above). Add courses to your cart (no cost) then proceed to checkout to create an account. You will use this account to log in to access course materials (now and later), to access your completion certificate, and to take any additional wilderness courses you choose.