Expanding Wilderness Across the Midwest

ELPC is working to expand federal Wilderness protections across the Midwest

Wilderness designation protects areas to be enjoyed by humans as visitors, leaving no trace of their visits so as to preserve their primitive character. The 1964 Wilderness Act has helped protect the natural habitats of many of our country’s most spectacular natural areas. By their very definition, these are exceptional places. So exceptional, in fact, that few remain that meet the criteria for protection.

ELPC is working to expand Wilderness protection to two areas in the Midwest: sections of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois.

Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a place like no other, and its most pristine places deserve our nation’s greatest protection. ELPC is proud to be a member of the Keep the U.P. Wild coalition, working to extend Wilderness designation to key areas in the U.P. By designating areas that already lie within National Forest boundaries, we can ensure these rare and beautiful places stay pristine for our use, enjoyment, and spiritual rejuvenation — both today and for generations to come.

Together, the Ehlco area, the Trap Hills, and Norwich Plains would create a nearly contiguous National Wilderness area of more than 40,000 acres. Likewise, the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness Addition would add nearly 2,000 acres of unique pristine land to the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, creating a total contiguous Wilderness area of almost 17,000 acres. Protecting these areas are good for biodiversity and for the economy. A win-win.

Learn more about Keep the UP Wild

Southern Illinois

Nestled between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers in Southern Illinois, the Shawnee National Forest is teeming with natural beauty. The beautiful oak-hickory forests, flourishing wetlands, lush canyons, razorback ridges and unique geological features are worthy of further protection and Wilderness designation.

There are three sites in Illinois that meet federal standards for designation as new National Wilderness areas and that would be worthy additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Camp Hutchins, (2) Ripple Hollow, and (3) Burke Branch. Each of these sites has attributes that attracted national consideration for Wilderness designation in 2006. Together, they would add roughly 12,727 acres of new Wilderness to Illinois. Further, since the three proposed areas are located in the Shawnee National Forest, their designations would complement the seven out of eight existing Illinois Wilderness areas that are also located in the Shawnee National Forest.