What's your response to the question "what use is wilderness?"

Dennis and Patricia debate the question, "What use is wilderness?" What's your response? Do you think forests should be valued more for their contribution to the economy or for their ecological contribution?

My response would be "imagine not having any", how sad would that be. There has to be a balance of contribution to the economy and ecological contribution but my vote is more to the latter.

Agree with renem. Also, wilderness is a reminder of the earth's glory that has been unadulterated by man, how nature's many components work in harmony to sprout, flourish, capitulate and repeat.

The earth needs wilderness far more than it needs another condo or a space for more people. People need wildernesses to explore and to learn to value nature over manmade worlds. All living organisms need the oxygen provided and the carbon dioxide cleaned from the air. Wild animals, birds and plants need the wilderness to thrive. Nothing really needs man, but everything needs the wilderness.

The wilderness feeds us all in all ways, and we cannot survive without it. In the area in which I live, I am grateful to see we are setting aside large tracts of land for community sharing and enrichment - for recognition and appreciation of nature of all kinds and in all kinds of ways. Recently there have been large additions to these tracts. This is reassuring to me for future generations. It makes me hope that as we live continually moving faster and faster, at least some aspect of our community is realizing the need to hold on to these spaces for our future health and well being. Some part of humankind is looking out for us. Any time spent wandering in nature is a gift - it is the essence of our life in this world.

There is beauty and truth and balance to everything in nature. Even when it is cruel and destructive, it seems to find balance or correction. We are so profoundly prone to an illusion of self importance and control, wilderness is the truth and constant that is our only hope of staying grounded.

Wilderness is part of man's soul. It is not to be extracted and destroyed, but rather nurtured and loved.