Defining wilderness

Wilderness areas are large unmodified or slightly modified natural areas, governed by natural processes, without human intervention, infrastructure or permanent habitation, which should be protected and managed so as to preserve their natural condition and to offer people the opportunity to experience the spiritual quality of nature. (European Wilderness Working Group, September 2011)

Wildernesses are natural areas without human
intervention (Soomaa NP)

There is no extractive use allowed in wilderness areas, which means that activities such as hunting, fishing, mining, logging, grazing, grass cutting, road and building construction are not accepted inside of the wilderness area. and the only management interventions are those aimed at maintaining or restoring natural ecological processes and the ecological integrity. However, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy wilderness on a sustainable way.

The most characteristic feature of wilderness is a natural dynamic without interference. Removing broken trees after snowfall can create a feeling of ‘a tidy forest’ but the missing dead wood deprives forest ecosystems of nutrition, species and important ecological processes.

More on the 'management' of wilderness areas