Wilderness: a point of reference

I have always thought of wilderness in the Crononian understanding: wilderness is where man is not. However, I found out that I make certain exceptions from this rule: I consider the native people of Alaska to live in the wilderness; probably because I got the impression that they live in harmony with nature (cf. Marshall’s definition of wilderness: “it preserves as nearly as possible the primitive environement,” 288) by simultaneously being completely at nature’s mercy. Every change in their environment has huge influences on their lives. They have to struggle for their live whereas we, western educated society, are not immediately affected by i.e. less ice in the Antarctica.
Though I grew up in a more rural area (the forest begins directly behind our garden), I can say that I never experienced wilderness. When I think of wilderness, I think of awe-inspiring mountains; vast deserts; icy, desolated places; impervious rain forests. Wilderness presents the uncountable diversity of our Earth. I always connect wilderness with the concept of the Sublime, beautiful and dangerous at the same time. I considered why I do not see the meadow, untouched by humans, as wilderness, and came to the conclusion that it is because of the absence of danger.
Last year, I was hiking in the Alps with my brother, and we got a bit lost for approx. two hours. We could not find the path, tried to go down somewhere else which did not work out because there was a very steep gradient. I admit I was scared though we had a map of the region and could roughly guess where we were plus it was a sunny day, so we know directions, too, and there was always the option of calling the mountain rescue service. This was not a “wilderness” experience, but it has shown me to treat nature respectful, and never underestimate it. At the same time, I really enjoy being outside, experience wildness, the “little brother” of wilderness. I love to feel the sun on my skin, as right now, and smell the odor of spring, or “listening” to the special silence after the first snow. And one of my favourite special moments last semester was a canoe trip into the Bayou northwest of New Orleans. I can totally agree with Marshall when he says that wilderness contributes physical, mental and aesthetic benefits (cf. 289).
Despite not having an everyday-influence on my life, I often use wilderness as a point of reference. First, wilderness is the most impressive example of how we deal with (and exploit) nature. When a wild area is in danger of being destroyed, it attracts in general more attention than the small forest next to your town – this is ‘only’ a local issue. The second point is that wilderness shows me my position in the world: I am so small compared to the overwhelming miracle of Wilderness.