Sometimes it"s nice to get away. Thanks to environmentalist Howard Zahniser, Americans can do that in one of the country"s many wildernesses—areas sheltered from human activities. While conservation efforts like the creation of national forests and parks began in the late 1800s, untamed wilderness had dwindled to only 2.5% of the nation"s land by the 1960s. To reverse this trend, Zahniser wrote most of what became the Wilderness Act. Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on September 3, 1964, it today protects more than 109 million acres—5% of the land in the US.
Wilderness Act anniversary
Today in History
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A perfect day to fly your flag
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Peña Roya beech forest, Moncayo Natural Park, Aragon, Spain
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A castle fit for a count
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In the belly of Fat Bear Week
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Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
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Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada
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‘The memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever’
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Bask in the glow—It s World Turtle Day
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La Geria wine region, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
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Land of the midnight sun
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The meeting point of the winds
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Portland celebrates its bounty
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Pretty, pretty…butterfly?
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World Elephant Day
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Happy birthday to the Peak!
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Flooded crypt, Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna, Italy
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World Wildlife Day
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Tesla, the visionary
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Ready, set, read
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European hedgehog
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Dark Sky Week
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A giant relic in Java
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Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan
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Wildebeests in Maasai Mara, Kenya
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With leaves this tasty, who cares about a view?
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Asteroid Day
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Cheetah in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
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The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
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Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
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Mexico celebrates its Independence Day
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