Commentary: Stand up for Gans Wild Area By Kevin Roberson Over 40 years ago, Missouri State Parks decided that permanent preservation of large areas of undeveloped state park land as wilderness was necessary to provide opportunities for solitude and unconfined recreation, as a reserve for native species and ecological communities, and for its own intrinsic worth. These areas are intended to be free of any influences other than those of nature. There are just 12 places in the state of Missouri that meet these criteria.The Gans Creek Wild Area in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is one of those 12. Six years ago, the Missouri Clean Water Commission created a program to recognize Outstanding State Resource Waters deserving of exceptional protection because of high aesthetic and scientific value, location in an undeveloped watershed and location on public lands.