A spatial and temporal assessment of energy development around wilderness areas

Global efforts to protect biodiversity have fallen short and global threats, including energy development, are prevalent. Assessing impacts of energy development helps determine if protected areas, particularly wilderness areas, can conserve biodiversity, natural habitats, and sustain ecological processes inherent in ecosystems. We quantified the amount of energy development around wilderness areas, evaluated rate of change in energy development, assessed if nearby public land provides a safeguard from energy development, and identified wilderness areas surrounded by the most energy development. We compiled national and regional data on nonrenewable and renewable energy development. Across all wilderness areas, 52.8 % had >= 1 power plant or coal mine nearby. More renewable energy power plants occur around wilderness areas than non-renewable. Among all energy leases, oil and gas and wind power leases occur most often around wilderness areas. During 1990-2015, the number of oil and gas wells around wilderness areas increased by 43.5 %. Wilderness areas surrounded by >75 % public land were as likely to have a power plant or coal mine nearby as those with <25 % public land. Wilderness areas ranked highest for number of power plants or coal mines nearby occurred mostly (77 %) in the western U.S. With the continued demand for energy, wilderness areas will continue to be influenced by energy development. Our research can inform the stewardship of wilderness areas and shows that despite their remote location and strong legal protection, wilderness areas are threatened by the increasing presence of energy development in surrounding lands.