Anthropocene boosters and the attack on wilderness conservation

George Wuerthner

The Ecological Citizen Vol 1 No 2 2018: 161–6

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First published: 1 January 2018 | PERMANENT URL | DOWNLOAD CITATION IN RIS FORMAT

Abstract

In the past few decades, a group of wilderness critics inside and outside of academia have argued that humans have so completely modified the Earth that we should give up on the notion that there is any place wild. Instead, the argument of these 'Anthropocene boosters' goes, we should recognize that we have already domesticated, in one fashion or another, the entire planet for human benefit. This article details and refutes the assertions made by the Anthropocene boosters against wilderness and protected areas. In it, the author also explores what individuals can do to defend the ideas of wilderness and protected areas against this attack. The ultimate rationale for 'keeping the wild', observes the author, is the realization that there is intangible and intrinsic value in more-than-human nature.

Keywords

Anthropocentrism, Conservation, Nature, Protected areas, Wildlands