IN NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WILDERNESS Chief of Wilderness Stewardship U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WILDERNESS Roger Semler Chief of Wilderness Stewardship National Park Service Glacier Wilderness E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division WILDERNESS 2020 VISION Interagency stewardship priorities for America’s National Wilderness Preservation System PRESERVE wilderness character…. Manage use of technologies that are likely to degrade wilderness character E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

USE OF TECHNOLOGY Administrative Use: Law (Wilderness Act Sec. 4c) National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division USE OF TECHNOLOGY Administrative Use: Law (Wilderness Act Sec. 4c) NPS Policy Public Use: Regulation (36 CFR Part 2 - Resource Protection, Public Use and Recreation Gates of the Arctic Wilderness E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

CONSIDERATIONS Positive Impact: National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division CONSIDERATIONS Positive Impact: + May enhance employee or public safety + May enhance incident management + May enhance visitor experience + May support agency mission Negative Impact: Does the use violate Sec. 4 c of the Wilderness Act? May adversely impact wilderness character qualities (solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation) May adversely impact visitors wilderness experience May create false sense of security or reduce self-reliance May be improperly used E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Policies: National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Policies: 2006 Management Policies, Wilderness Preservation and Management Director’s Order # 41, Wilderness Stewardship * Both require a Minimum Requirement Analysis for all actions that may impact wilderness character E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Mission Support: Communications Incident Management National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Mission Support: Communications Incident Management Visitor & Resource Protection Resource Management Inventory & Monitoring Scientific Research Mapping NPS photo E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Incident Communications: Search & Rescue EMS National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Incident Communications: Search & Rescue EMS Law Enforcement Fire Management Natural Disasters NPS photo E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Communications Examples: Hand-held radios National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Communications Examples: Hand-held radios Radio repeaters Satellite phones Cell phones Personal location trackers (w/ messaging or texting) Portable solar charging panels NPS photo E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Benefits to Employee & Public Safety National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Benefits to Employee & Public Safety May allow for a strategic, targeted response May reduce incident response time or magnitude May reduce placing emergency responders in hazardous conditions May SAVE LIVES E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Operations Examples: Aerial observations National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Operations Examples: Aerial observations Radio collars or transmitters Monitoring cameras Weather data stations Monitoring installations: Seismic, Volcanic, Glaciers, hydrology NPS photo E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

ADMINISTRATIVE USE Potential Benefits to Wilderness Character: National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division ADMINISTRATIVE USE Potential Benefits to Wilderness Character: May reduce duration and/or magnitude of administrative activities May reduce cumulative or overall impacts to solitude (sights & sounds of response) * Consideration: UAS is quieter, smaller, and less obvious than a helicopter E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

PUBLIC USE Examples: GPS navigation Cellular or satellite phones National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division PUBLIC USE Examples: GPS navigation Cellular or satellite phones Hand-held two-way radios AM/FM or Weather Radios Personal tracking or locator devices Avalanche transceivers Portable solar chargers New, emerging forms of mechanical transport E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

PUBLIC USE Public Use Regulations: National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division PUBLIC USE Public Use Regulations: 36 CFR 2.12 - prohibits motorized equipment 36 CFR 2.17 - prohibits delivering person or object by airborne means 36 CFR 4.30 - prohibits bicycles in wilderness 36 CFR 2.18 - prohibits snowmobile use 36 CFR 5.5 – addresses commercial filming, still photography, and audio recording 36 CFR 1.5 - prohibits UAS * No regulations prohibit hand-held electronic devices E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

PUBLIC USE Public UAS Use: Unmanned Aircraft – Interim Policy National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division PUBLIC USE Public UAS Use: Unmanned Aircraft – Interim Policy * 36 CFR 1.5 - Superintendent’s Compendium: Landing, launching , or operating an unmanned aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of {park name} is prohibited except as approved by the superintendent. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

SOLUTIONS Administrative Use: Apply thoughtful MRAs & NEPA processes National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Wilderness Stewardship Division SOLUTIONS Administrative Use: Apply thoughtful MRAs & NEPA processes Public Use: Encourage visitors to practice the Leave No Trace principle of “be considerate of other visitors” Avoid being too judgmental re: personal choices Consider regulations as needed E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A