Untrammeled by Man
“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” - From the Wilderness Act of 1964
The Wilderness Act, signed by Lyndon Johnson in 1964, legally protected 9 million acres of US Land from over-use by humans. The Wilderness Act is written in an almost prose-like manner, and explicity states the human need for solitude within nature; this is a right. Part of the definition of Wilderness in the Act: Wilderness has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation. Joshua Tree Park (Formerly Joshua Tree National Monument) has 585,000 acres of Wilderness. As a Wilderness, an area is protected from all forms of activity besides walking, campfires are prohibited, and there is a strong Leave No Trace principle. The land is for treading upon lightly and for enjoying through the senses. Where have you felt super alone in the wild?
Katie Bachler was our first HDTS Scout, and was in residence from 2012-2013.
The HDTS Scout Residency is dedicated to learning more about the people and places that make up our diverse and ever evolving community.
During Katie’s residency, visitors were invited to drop into the HDTS HQ, the Scout’s home base, to meet Katie, who could be found making maps, hosting conversations, and baking bread – in between her off-site adventures around town and out in the field.
Katie had a lot in store during her time here, including:
- a series of talks featuring local experts
- joining together to create a web of knowledge
- a research library and archive documenting the many spaces, places, plants, and people that make up this special region
- casual conversations with drop in visitors over tea
- site visits and field trips around town
Katie engaged the community by instigating map-making and rag-rug braiding workshops, the Scout’s Book Club, Art in the Environment classes for desert kids, casual conversations, site visits and field trips—all shared in her Scout’s blog, which serves as the foundation for her book.
