A taste of the north: Voices from the wilderness about the wilderness character of Alaska

Abstract

These voices from the wilderness were compiled to illustrate some of the values of wilderness in Alaska. Wilderness visitors, non-native Alaska residents, and rural, native people can all have different perceptions of wilderness character, define wilderness differently, go to wilderness for different reasons, see different things when they are there, perceive wildness differently, and attach different importance to feelings of fear while in the wilderness, but they all find challenge in getting there, value wildlife as part of the wilderness, identify strongly with wilderness places, and find wilderness in Alaska to be unique (see Figure 1).

Keywords

wilderness, Alaska

Citation

Watson, Alan E.; Kneeshaw, Katie; Glaspell, Brian. 2004. A taste of the north: Voices from the wilderness about the wilderness character of Alaska. International Journal of Wilderness. 10(2): 4-7