On September 3, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act, a historic bill that established the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wildlands for the use and benefit of the American people. Over the past 50 years, Congress has added over 100 million acres to this unique land preservation system, which now roughly totals five percent of the land in the United States.

Throughout the month of September, Deschutes Public Library pays tribute to this public history with a series of “Know Wilderness” programs. Programs are free and open to all.

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Author David Talbot
The retired Director of Oregon State Parks reads from and discusses his memoir The Cabin: A Tandem Memoir of Life in the Wild.




Our Desert Wilderness
Our friends from the Oregon Natural Desert Association explore a fascinating high desert landscape that is surprisingly diverse and teeming with life..




Trekking the Camino
A “wilderness” of a different sort, and one thousands of miles away. Loretta Slepikas shares tales from her time walking on Spain’s Camino de Santiago, a 1,000-year-old ancient pilgrimage trail. .




Stewardship in the Wild
Join representatives from Friends of the Central Cascades Wilderness and author and former ranger Les Joslin for a presentation about local wilderness stewardship efforts..




Wilderness Survival
Few people are prepared for the challenge of being lost or hurt in the wilderness. Blake Miller, founder of Outdoor Quest, shares tips on navigation and prepping to survive in the back country..




Oregon’s Forested Wilderness Treasures
Oregon Wild’s Erik Fernandez highlights the world-class scenic landscapes of the Crater Lake Wilderness proposal and explores the botanical treasures of the Kalmiopsis wildlands and other Oregon treasures..




For more information about these or other library programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Tina at 541-312-1034.