Wicked problems in practice: Responding to ecological transformation in wilderness
Rushing JF , Hefty K , Hollingsworth TN, Cravens AE , Armatas CA , Boerigter C , Carim KJ , Crausbay SD , Helmy O, Lawrence D , Redmore LE , Schuurman GW , Taylor EJ, Wilkening NL , Zeller KA , Parks SA . 2026. Wicked problems in practice: Responding to ecological transformation in wilderness. Ambio. Online(Open Access)
Congressionally designated wilderness offers the highest level of land protection in the USA, comparable to category 1b wilderness as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, yet wilderness areas face impacts of climate change. Researchers and managers increasingly recognize the immense challenge of stewarding wilderness in a changing climate. Although responding to climate change is considered a wicked problem, this framing has not been applied to wilderness contexts. This paper moves theory into practice by using wicked problem framing and four illustrative cases to explore how the resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework can help untangle the wicked problem of addressing unprecedented ecological transformation in wilderness. The RAD framework clarifies a range of response options including resisting transformation, accepting it, or directing it toward preferred new conditions. As climate change continues to challenge wilderness managers, the RAD framework can help assess trade-offs and preserve wilderness character into the twenty-first century.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Rushing, Jaclyn; Hefty, Kira; Hollingsworth, Teresa; Cravens, Amanda; Armatas, Christopher; Boerigter, Clare; Carim, Kellie; Crausbay, Shelley; Helmy, Olga; Lawrence, David; Redmore, Lauren; Schuurman, Gregor; Taylor, Eric; Wilkening, Nifer; Zeller, Katherine; Parks, Sean
- Units
- BAND , SEKI
- Keywords
- Climate change, climate change adaptation, ecological transformation, RAD framework, resist-accept-direct, wicked problems, wilderness management
- License
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International