The following thesis addresses the role that interest groups play in the formation of policy within the government of the United States. Furthermore, it concerns itself with one specific policy issue as a means of accomplishing that goal; wilderness policy. Clearly, it can be established that interest groups are an integral part of the public policy process in democratic models of government. By charting the course of a policy issue, such as wilderness, from its inception through the various stages to final resolution, it is possible to see how a federal policy is influenced by interest groups. As this policy affects states and their constituencies, it can be argued that interest groups insert themselves at every step of the policy process under the federalism model of government, and the resulting policy is one that sets the standards for future generations
