Viewpoint: The importance of wilderness for youth

Ian Harris

I’ve lost count of how many articles I have read over the past decade warning us about the dire state of youth mental health. According to various studies, young people are experiencing increasingly elevated rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, short attention spans, low levels of empathy, low reading and writing skills, and obesity, and much of the blame comes from experiencing life through a screen.

But we don’t need to read scientific journals to know this is true - we see it anecdotally every day in our children and in ourselves. We cannot eliminate technology from our lives, but as we watch digital relationships replace in-person interactions, and virtual entertainment replace outdoor play, we see and feel the effects that our evolving world has upon our brains.

This also affects the way we interact with each other and the physical world. Now more than ever, we need to reinvest in our youth the values that will lead to a healthier population and a more sustainable environment. Our future depends on it.

Wilderness affords the increasingly rare opportunity to disengage from digital life. It is a break from the artificial world. For the sake of our mental health, we must occasionally surrender our shortening attention spans away from our screens, and escape the constant stimulation of nagging social media notifications, buzzing news updates, and accumulating texts and emails that demand our attention and invade every aspect of our lives.

Wilderness offers different sources of stimulation, ones more tangible and authentic: streams cascading over rocks, rustling grasses, melodic birdsong, and each other’s laughter. Wilderness forces us to slow down and stop multitasking; to take a breath, engage in something difficult, learn, explore, grow, work, laugh, and have unmediated, analog fun; to forget about busy schedules and to-do lists. In wilderness, all we need is the task at present - getting over that hill, filtering water, setting up a tent, building a campfire. And sometimes, we need no task at all.

Wilderness is unique in that it is exceptionally capable of providing spaces and opportunities for growth. There are no quick satisfactions in wilderness. The best campsites and the most breathtaking vistas often require hiking long distances over rugged terrain.

Through burning blisters, groaning muscles, pesky mosquitos, and soaking rain, we learn humility, fortitude, and resilience. Through long periods in remote settings we learn confidence. After a week of roughing it without running water, WiFi, or a comfortable bed, we learn to appreciate the modern conveniences we take for granted. Carrying everything we need to survive on our backs teaches independence and self-reliance.

Engaging in wilderness stewardship opportunities, such as helping maintain backcountry trails, teaches us even more. The lessons learned from hiking and pulling a crosscut saw through a tangle of downed snags and heavy brush are innumerable: problem solving, teamwork, resourcefulness, critical thinking, patience, the value of hard work, and pride in our public lands. Experiencing all of this with complete strangers requires us to step out of our comfort zones. Wilderness empowers, builds character, and forges the leaders of tomorrow.

Wilderness, as defined by the Wilderness Act of 1964, is a natural place where the earth and its communities of life are left largely unchanged by people, where the primary forces of nature are in control, and where people themselves are visitors who do not remain. Designated Wilderness Areas, like the Selway-Bitterroot, Frank Church-River of No Return, and Bob Marshall, are large, congressionally protected landscapes, where roads are non-existent, and machinery and human developments are predominantly absent. There are over 800 Wilderness Areas in the United States, comprising more than 110 million acres.

In the wilderness, nothing is easy, but everything is simple. Unfortunately, the wilderness is taken for granted. The majority of young people have not ventured into wilderness, nor do they know what it is, often even those who live within eyesight of a Wilderness Area. Exploring the backcountry safely and responsibly requires a foundational set of skills, gear, and local knowledge. This can be daunting and expensive for young adventurers and future public land stewards. But the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation’s (SBFC) Youth Wilderness Program provides these resources, and connects teens to their backyard wilderness areas.

A youth wilderness expedition is often a kid’s first, and perhaps most powerful, backcountry experience, one that may lead them on a pathway to becoming an SBFC Wilderness & Trails Intern, volunteer, or professional public lands steward. SBFC, and other similar groups, provide the stepping stones for a lifetime of discovery, and a commitment to stewardship.

SBFC youth wilderness expeditions are immersive six-day backpacking trips centered around hands-on volunteer stewardship projects in the largest wilderness complex in the lower 48. Small crews of youth learn to live, travel, and work in the backcountry, disconnecting from phones and the internet, and connect to the land in a meaningful way. Youth wilderness expedition members learn to use traditional hand tools, like crosscut saws, axes, and Pulaskis, and work to improve public land trail conditions and access, earning a considerable amount of community service hours.

Participants also learn about Leave No Trace, the Wilderness Act, and important skills, such as how to read a map, tie knots, encounter wildlife safely, and identify local plants. Youth wilderness expeditions are open to teens, 12-18, from Idaho and Montana, and are free to join. Backpacking gear can be provided for free as needed. Learn more and apply by May 3 at www.Selwaybitterroot.org.

Wilderness forever and for all.

Ian Harris is the youth program director for the Selway-Bitterroot Franch Church Foundation.