The spatial relationship between exurban development and designated wilder

—Public lands provide recreational opportunities and preserve historic and ecological values. Increases in low-density residential development in the contiguous United States pose a threat not only along the boundaries of national parks and forests, but also around uniquely valuable Wilderness areas. Development within and around protected lands can affect land management and landscape ecology by fragmenting forest and wildlife habitat, diminishing air and water quality, and limiting recreational opportunities and access. Exurban and rural sprawl particularly affects wilderness areas because land development is inconsistent with the nature of wilderness and its associated values. This research uses U.S. Census and land ownership data to identify National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) units with exurban or urban housing densities and large amounts of surrounding private land. Identifying NWPS units within 10 miles of the Wilderness boundary that are most likely to experience housing density increases will assist in the management and protection of these valuable lands. 1.0 iNTRoduCTioN Public lands preserve historic and ecological values while also providing unparalleled recreational opportunities. However, increases in low-density residential development in the United States pose a threat along the boundaries of the nation’s public lands. This threat affects not only national parks and forests, but also uniquely valuable Wilderness areas that make up the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) (Cordell et al. 2005, Stein et al. 2006). Wilderness areas are in a unique category of federal land protected through the 964 Wilderness Act, which expressly prohibits human modification of the landscape. Though Wilderness areas are managed by one of four agencies (Bureau of Land Management [BLM], Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS], Forest Service [FS], or National Park Service [NPS]), all Wilderness areas are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). These lands preserve inimitable research and recreational opportunities; provide sources of ecological and biological diversity; and offer oft-perceived aesthetic, existence, bequest, and intrinsic values (Cordell 2005, Noss 99 ). Wilderness areas are particularly affected by exurban and rural sprawl because land development clashes with the nature of wilderness and its associated values (Cordell et al. 2005). Development within and around protected lands can affect both the ecology and management of these ecosystems by increasing forest and wildlife habitat fragmentation and reducing air and water quality. Land ownership patterns may also affect recreational opportunities and access. Thus, housing density increases near Wilderness areas are incompatible with wilderness values and pose challenges to the management of these areas. Capitalization of “Wilderness” denotes federally designated units of the National Wilderness Preservation System in keeping with the current literature.