Benefits of wilderness

Wildernesses provide safe haven for endangered
species and ...

It is vital to protect the remaining European wilderness as it provides ecological benefits:

• safe haven for endangered species
• home to undiscovered species;
• habitats with highly adapted fauna and flora, which would be lost forever if these areas disappeared;
• refuge for disturbance-sensitive species that may require extensive undisturbed nature for their healthy life;
• living reference laboratories where the natural process of evolution still continues.

Wilderness also offers sustainable economic and environmental benefits:

• addressing climate change through carbon sequestration and flood mitigation.

There are social benefits of wilderness:

• potential to help tackle important urban issues such as youth development and healthcare;
• wilderness is the premier laboratory for children and adults alike to learn how the earth works.

... provide places of inspiration, renewal for visitors
(Archipelago NP)

Moreover, wilderness areas provide spiritual benefits:

• solitude, quiteness far from the hustle and pressures of modern life;
• places of inspiration, renewal or recreation in the great outdoors;
• opportunity for self-discovery and rejuvenation.

More on the partnership opportunities for protected areas