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Rivers are magic. Their draw is irresistible. Their value
cannot be overestimated. This issue of IJW, guest
edited by Alan Watson and myself, is the first of
two emphasizing rivers. Our hope is that both issues will
help increase interest and attention to wild rivers as an important
component of the wilderness resource.
People flock to rivers for recreation. Many wild rivers in
the United States, particularly those with opportunities for
prolonged trips and the thrill of whitewater, are so popular
that access to them must be limited. Commercial outfitting
on rivers is a huge and growing enterprise. Private groups
often must obtain permits through lotteries (with chances
of drawing a permit less than 5%), or go on a waiting list of
up to 10 years.
Animals are attracted to rivers for water and shade. Riparian
vegetation along rivers provides habitat for diverse
species, many of which are not found elsewhere. Rivers are
corridors for the transportation of people and their goods.
Recently, rivers have become corridors for the transportation
of undesirable invasive species, such as tamarisk and
spotted knapweed.
Since rivers—particularly wild rivers—are rare and
highly valued, their management is complex and controversial.
Managers of terrestrial wilderness have much to
learn from the experience of river managers, who were
among the first to deal with explosive increases in recreation
use.
EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVES
Wild Rivers and Wilderness
BY DAVID N. COLE
FEATURES
Two lessons are particularly important: First, limiting
use has side effects, many unintended and undesirable.
Questions surround the issue of private versus commercial
permit allocations. Any established limit will tend to favor
certain types of users. Tight restrictions on one river will
increase use on other rivers. River managers have long dealt
with these issues. Among their most important innovations
has been the management of rivers on a regional scale, such
that opportunities are provided for as many different types
of users as possible. Rivers like the Selway in Idaho are
managed for extremely wild, once-in-a-lifetime experiences,
while others in the region offer less challenging experiences
and more people.
The second important lesson is the importance of instilling
ethics and Leave No Trace education for river users.
The success of such programs on wild rivers has been phenomenal.
Campsites used virtually every night exhibit little
evidence of human use other than footprints in the sand.
While certain riverine environments (beaches, for example)
are highly resistant and resilient, much of the credit in limiting
impact is from the progress river managers have made
in persuading floaters to minimize their impact on this rare
and valuable resource.
Several articles in this issue of IJW illustrate the opportunities
and challenges of river management, hopefully providing
lessons and insight for wilderness managers
everywhere. IJW
International Journal of Wilderness DECEMBER 2000 • VOLUME 6, NUMBER 3 3