Wilderness Society News

Coming Together on Energy Efficiency

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:22:29 +0000

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Many wild places The Wilderness Society is working the hardest to protect are areas near towns and cities that are ahead of the curve on the energy efficiency front. Take Pitkin, Gunnison and Eagle counties near the Mount Massive Wilderness Area in Colorado. By working with organizations like the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE), thousands of businesses and residents in these counties have taken action to reduce energy use through innovative programs implemented at a local scale. What does this electricity savings translate to? Fewer new power plants and transmission lines across the land—by reducing demand for a new 1000 MW coal‐fired power plant, we can save roughly 23,500 acres from development.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by the Alliance to Save Energy—an organization that brings together businesses, government, environmental and consumer leaders around the common cause of energy efficiency “as a means to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment and greater energy security.” Founded in 1977 by a bi-partisan group of Senators, the Alliance has been witness to a doubling of U.S. energy efficiency per GDP over the past 35 years, and that message of energy efficiency as a way to cut costs seems to have permeated some of the biggest utilities and Fortune 500 companies in America.

In light of our “almost do-nothing Congress,” this event was a CFL light bulb in the wilderness—bringing together business leaders and elected officials to suggest that when it comes to energy efficiency (as Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont put it) we should go from “politics to pragmatism.” Legislation such as the Shaheen-Portman Act—which enjoys the support of the National Association of Manufacturers, among others—would set new standards for existing energy efficiency technologies in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of our economy. Leaders at the event including Senator Mark Warner and Thomas Kuhn, President of Edison Electric Institute, called it an easy bill to support. Why? Because energy efficiency just makes sense, whether you care about profit margins or wild places.

In fact, Cal Dooley of the American Chemistry Council suggested at yesterday’s event that it is imperative we reduce the pool of needed energy while debating how to transition away from fossil fuels. In some landscapes, this concept is taking hold. States near New England’s pristine Northern Forest—Vermont and Massachusetts—rank amongst the top five states in the county on ACEEE’s 2011 state annual scorecard on energy efficiency. These are steps in the right direction, but we can and should do more. To address global warming impacts on wild places, we will need new renewable power plants—and at TWS we are working to be sure they are responsibly sited. But if we are serious about protecting wild places, beautiful landscapes, and biodiversity, particularly in areas with smaller landscapes and lots of energy demand, it is the task at hand to find no regrets solutions to reducing energy use, and reducing the need for new power plants.

Despite the political challenges ahead, I felt quite positive coming out of a morning spent at the Alliance to Save Energy surrounded by businesses who want to do more than “good guy stuff,” as Senator Mark Warner put it. These businesses want to use energy efficiency to maximize profits, maximize their return on investment, and maximize their global competitiveness. And just when it couldn’t get any better, Bruce Ray, Director of Government Affairs for Warren Buffet’s energy efficiency company Johns Manville, stood up to spread Mr. Buffet’s recent and now famous call to invest in “people, communities and the environment”—something I blogged about just last week. Perhaps on ideas like energy efficiency, the environmental community and the private sector are more aligned than I thought. If folks only realized that saving energy also saves lands, we might put the cause over the edge. That makes good business sense to me.

Protect Chimney Rock now!

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:11:49 +0000

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Up a winding road about 15 miles past Pagosa Springs in southwestern Colorado, rests within the San Juan National Forest a natural and archeological wonder: Chimney Rock. Chimney Rock is known for its twin rock spires that can be seen from miles away, but its true value lies in the 1,200-year-old Native American ruins visible only to those who visit.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to protect Chimney Rock as a national monument. Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, in addition to Congressman Scott Tipton, support protecting Chimney Rock. While legislation passed the House today, it could be a while until the Senate votes. However, President Barack Obama could protect Chimney Rock today and ensure that this treasure is protected for future generations to enjoy.

The history of Chimney Rock can be traced back to 925 C.E. when the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians lived there until 1125. People from across the United States come here to view the remnants of a civilization, and national forest land surrounding the 4,700-acre archaeological area.

There is something for everyone in Chimney Rock. It attracts archeology enthusiasts for its still-intact structures. Hikers and nature lovers come to hike the ruins and surrounding San Juan National Forest. It remains a sacred place for today’s Pueblo tribes, due to its cultural significance. For whatever reason you come to Chimney Rock, you cannot ignore the Great House Pueblo. From the Great House, you can witness the Northern Lunar Standstill -- or the rising of the moon between the rock spires -- which only happens every 18.6 years.

It is for all these reasons that people on the ground, in Congress, and the Obama administration support protecting Chimney Rock. Less than a week before the House passed the Chimney Rock National Monument Establishment Act (H.R. 2621), more than 150 people attended a listening session in Pagosa Springs to ask President Obama to designate Chimney Rock as a national monument by using the Antiquities Act.

The Antiquities Act is a law established by Congress under President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to protect for future generations America’s cultural, historical and natural treasures. Nearly every president since Roosevelt’s time has used this Act to protect places like the Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty and the U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef national monument. President Obama has used the Antiquities Act to protect Fort Monroe in Virginia and Fort Ord in California.

There is no reason to wait. Chimney Rock is too important for too many people to risk not preserving it. President Obama has the ability to act today.

Drilling bills are solutions that cause more problems

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:11:02 +0000

Four bills that will likely pass the House Natural Resources Committee will cause more problems than they solve, according to The Wilderness Society.

“These bills are solutions looking for a problem – and cause more problems than they solve,” said Dave Alberswerth, senior legislative advisor. “The way that these bills seek to limit the American public’s participation in drilling decisions that could affect their lives and livelihoods is especially concerning.”

The bills (H.R. 4381, H.R. 4382, H.R. 4383, and H.R. 3973) bills minimize, eliminate and penalize public participation in leasing and drilling decisions on our public lands. H.R. 4383, for example, would impose a $5000 penalty to any group or individual that challenges a drilling permit in court. H.R. 4382 would prohibit public reviews of lease sales, and disallow new information to change a leasing decision.

“The bills try to open more lands and give more permits to the oil industry, when they aren’t using the ones they have,” said Alberswerth.

“The oil industry is sitting on more than 7,000 approved but unused federal drilling permits, and more than 20 million acres they’ve leased are sitting idle.”

“The problem isn’t on federal government’s end. If the oil industry wants to be drilling more on public lands, they have the leases and permits they need.”

For more information on these bills, see our analysis here: http://wilderness.org/content/drilling-bills-continue-assault-public-lands

National Trails Day is June 2nd

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:28:06 +0000

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National Trails Day will be upon us Saturday, June 2nd. The American Hiking Society sponsors this annual event, which celebrates our nation’s 200,000 plus miles of recreation trails. Participants across the country join in to recognize the tremendous opportunities these trails provide in getting folks outdoors. Many National Trails Day activities are organized around volunteer trail cleanup projects, as well as guided hikes and walks.

I chose my internship with The Wilderness Society in large part due to my many hours on trails in protected areas throughout the country. Reviewing the catalog of National Trails Day events on the American Hiking Society website, I was pleased to see several of my favorite places getting the attention they deserve. Reelfoot Lake State Park, a place I visited many times as a youth, will be hosting a naturalist-guided walk that showcases the lake’s seismically shaken history and the great wetland habitat it now provides to hundreds of interesting species. Laguna Atascosa and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuges, which hold species found nowhere else in the country, will also feature ranger-led nature walks.

Many National Trails Day activities are put together by local groups. During the past year, I joined in hikes led by the Mid-Atlantic Hiking Group. These excursions took me to parts of Shenandoah National Park and the George Washington National Forest I had not seen before and allowed me to meet plenty of friendly fellow hikers along the way.

The selection of offerings for National Trails Day is so great; you'll likely find one close to home.

National Trails Day is a terrific opportunity for everyone to participate, recreate, have fun and give back. If you have enjoyed a trail in your area, sign up to help with a trail maintenance project. You will be rewarded knowing many in your community will experience the outdoors through your efforts, and you may get to meet some of them in the process.

Surefire way to beat gas prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:25:10 +0000

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The Memorial Day long weekend is coming up, and you’ve probably noticed that gas prices have leveled off from their high prices a few months back. In fact, prices are now 20 cents per gallon lower than they were a year ago.

Whether you’re going to the beach or to the mountains (or maybe a place like the Vermillion Basin), the break at the pump couldn’t have come at a better time for many American families.

With all of the recent debate about drilling and gas prices, you may be wondering why gas prices suddenly calmed down after weeks of steadily climbing higher and higher. Was it the oil companies feeling guilty about their windfall profits? Was a large swath of America opened up to drilling?

Nope – the answer comes from overseas, where a calming Middle East has also calmed Wall Street speculators that had been driving up the cost of oil. The tensions in Iran were adding up to $25 to every barrel of oil (even the ones drilled here in the U.S.) – and those costs were passed on to us, the consumers.

What does this leveling off of gas prices tell us? Well, for starters, the U.S. can’t control gas prices. A study by the Associated Press showed that more drilling won’t lower gasoline prices. And now a study from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office shows that swings in gas prices happen regardless of how much oil a country produces. Even if we drilled every drop out of ground that we could, the global marketplace would still control the price of oil (which is tied to the price of gas at the pump).

So how do we avoid these wild price swings and keep our wallets safe? The answer comes from a surprising source.

The George W. Bush Institute (yes, that George W. Bush) says we need to move away from oil. A report from the institute calls for better fuel efficiency for cars and trucks as a way to protect the country from economy-destroying swings in the price of oil.

The only way to protect our wild lands from drilling and our wallets from high gas prices is to move away from oil. The oil industry certainly isn’t doing anything to help American consumers – and they clearly don’t need the help.

On tour with Dave Matthews Band and The Dreaming Tree wines

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:55:32 +0000

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What do Dave Matthews, California winemaking and wilderness conservation have in common?

Quite a lot these days. We’re excited to announce that The Wilderness Society will host a booth with our new charitable partner The Dreaming Tree wines at this summer’s Dave Matthews Band concerts.

What’s special about The Dreaming Tree wines?
The Dreaming Tree wines portfolio, a collection of sustainably produced wines, is a collaboration between noted wine maker Steve Reeder and musician Dave Matthews, a member of our governing council.

Dave Matthews, The Dreaming Tree and The Wilderness Society share a commitment to supporting and protecting our wild places — and to promoting conservation-oriented lifestyles.

Stop by The Wilderness Society and The Dreaming Tree booth at DMB concerts:

Visit our booth at the DMB “Eco-Village” to plant a tree in the Virtual Forest, or get a real sapling to plant at home.
We’ll be at all 41 Dave Matthews Band concerts over the summer (tour kicks off May 18).
At the booth, you can plant a tree in the Virtual Forest. When you plant a tree in the Virtual Forest, you take a stand with others nationwide in support of wild places.
For a small donation, pick up a real tree sapling to plant at home.

Can’t make it to a Dave Matthews Band concert?

Visit The Dreaming Tree wines to plant your tree in the Virtual Forest.
Follow the tour on The Wilderness Society’s Facebook page and The Dreaming Tree’s Facebook page. There you’ll find information about upcoming hikes and other opportunities to experience wilderness.

The Dreaming Tree wines are committed to helping extend our message of wilderness protection through a year-long retail campaign and online Virtual Forest.

The Wilderness Society statement on Department of Interior announcement on idle drilling leases

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:36:08 +0000

Statement from David Moulton, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs for The Wilderness Society, on the Department of Interior report on idle oil and gas leases on federal lands.

“The Department of Interior highlights what the oil and gas industry fails to mention – they’re sitting on millions of unused acres. More than 20 million acres of leased federal land are idle, without any production or even exploratory drilling happening.

“In addition to their idle acres, there are also more than 7,000 approved federal drilling permits that the oil and gas industry isn’t using. This is a major hole in the industry’s talking points, because while they can try to explain away the unused acres, drilling permits are the last step before drilling. Once they have a drilling permit, they are “good to go” – without anything restricting them. If they aren’t using those drilling permits, it’s because they don’t need them.

“The oil and gas industry claims that it is red tape and regulations that holding them up, but it’s clear that if anyone is standing in the way of oil and gas development, it is the industry itself.”

Protecting the future of America’s wild places

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:57:34 +0000

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Places like the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Yosemite are well known. Places like Ironwood Forest, Hurdygurdy Creek, and the Crooked River might not have that same name recognition, but each have unique natural values as wild places we must protect. In order to do that, Congress needs to step up.

From red rock canyons to towering forests and alpine peaks, the wild places of the United States are some of the most treasured in the world. And today, millions of acres of wild lands stand protected from mining, drilling, and development. These places are protected because we had the foresight to set them aside and keep them for future generations. Once again, Congress has the ability protect more of these special, wild places for generations to come by supporting the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

Since 1964, LWCF has been at the forefront of protecting wild places in the US. Iconic places like California’s Big Sur coast and Acadia National Park have been created and improved because of the program.
Among the places that should be protected this year are wild rivers, epic trails, and even a petrified forest! These places can become a part of the American tradition of protecting wild landscapes now and in the future.

Lands that are protected through the Land and Water Conservation Fund become parts of National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, state and local parks, battlefields, and National Monuments. They become places for kids and families to enjoy our natural and cultural heritage.

Places like Ramirez Canyon in California show how important the Land and Water Conservation Fund can be when it is used in the right place at the right time. An addition of just 110 acres to the Santa Monica National Refuge Area will connect several disjointed wild areas, and protect an invaluable trailhead for hikers.

Another project will improve hunter and angler access for the Crooked River in Oregon, helping to create new opportunities for people to enjoy the great outdoors. And more than 7,500 acres at the head of the legendary Penobscot River in Maine would be protected, improving wildlife habitat.

Investing in the Land and Water Conservation Fund each year is not just about protecting wild places, it’s also about jobs and growing our economy. The outdoor recreation industry – hikers, bikers, hunters, anglers, skiers and paddlers – is a $730 billion a year industry. The backbone of this economic engine is having places to go to get outdoors, and making sure all Americans have access to the places they want to go. The Land and Water Conservation Fund does both.

Congress now has an opportunity to make sure that the next generation of wild places is protected while at the same time creating jobs and supporting our economy. And as it turns out, the Transportation bill that is currently being debated in Congress would do just that. Written into the Senate passed version of that bill is guaranteed funding for the Land and Water Conservation program – ensuring that the Land and Water Conservation Fund will continue its legacy of land protection, outdoor recreation access, and the farming and ranching way of life for the next two years.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has a fifty year history of protecting iconic wild places. Congress should do the right thing, and make sure that this popular and bipartisan program can continue to protect the next generation of wild lands.

Wilderness Society's Big Birding Day soars

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:03:19 +0000

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A half-dozen birders exclaim with pleasure- it’s a Blue Grosbeak, resplendent in lapis blue with russet bars on its wings.

We’re exploring the ancient and fascinating landscape of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park, seeking birds on sandstone cliffs, in cottonwood groves and lurking in desert greasewood. Our trip is one of many being enjoyed by visitors from around the country as part of the Ute Mountain-Mesa Verde Birding Festival.

I have a particular mission this weekend though, to list as many birds as possible during The Wilderness Society's Big Birding Day. Organized by Senior Director of Legislative Affairs David Moulton, Big Birding Day gets staff outdoors and in touch with the natural world where we work.

Sally Miller was seeking a vagrant Rose-breasted Grosbeak in California. John Gallo exhorts us to chase the widespread American Kestrel. I’m pursuing special bird species of the Four Corners area, including Black-throated Gray Warbler and Gray Vireo, as well as the stately Black-headed Grosbeak.

Birding is a marvelous way to learn more about the outdoors, no matter where you live. You can bird in city parks or remote wilderness areas. Our public lands offer superior birding experiences, from Point Reyes National Seashore in California to Padre Island in Texas, and all the way to Everglades National Park in Florida.

Some of my favorite birding areas in southwestern Colorado are in the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, and near Gateway, Colorado where The Wilderness Society and conservation partners are seeking National Conservation Area status for the area.

If you’ve caught birding fever, or even if you just are curious, birding festivals offer a fantastic opportunity to learn from experts and meet interesting people. This second weekend of May captured birding enthusiasts from around the country to count and celebrate birds through International Migratory Bird Day. You can likely find a birding festival near you:

Another excellent way to gain birding knowledge is through programs offered by nature centers, nature preserves and bird observatories. You might find the elusive Gyrfalcon with the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory in northern Michigan, or the gorgeous Prothonotary Warbler at the William B. Clark Conservation Area in Tennessee. One of America’s premier spring bird migratory hotspots can be experienced at the Cape May Bird Observatory in New Jersey.

As our Big Birding Weekend winds down, I’m tired but exultant. I found the exotic White-faced Ibis near Cortez, Colorado, and the brilliant Lazuli Bunting near the Dolores River. Along the way, I realized how important it is to preserve natural habitat for these creatures that bridge earth and heaven.

Black-headed grosbeak
Photo courtesy of Brenda Wright

Berryessa Snow Mountain bill introduced. Help thank its champions!

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:11:36 +0000

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If you live in or are visiting the Bay Area or Sacramento, just about 100 miles away you can experience the incredible lands, creeks, wildlife and recreation activities at Berryessa Snow Mountain.

Now, thanks to Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) -- and fellow members of Congress John Garamendi (D-CA) and Lynn Woolsey (D- CA) -- this place can be permanently protected. The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Act (H.R. 5545) would protect more than 300,000 acres of oak savannah, pine and fir forests, and rivers.

We ask you to join us in thanking Reps. Mike Thompson, John Garamendi and Lynn Woolsey on Twitter and Facebook!

Thank Rep. Mike Thompson
• @RepThompson
• Facebook

Thank Rep. John Garamendi
• @RepGaramendi
• Facebook

Thank Rep. Lynn Woolsey
• @RepLynnWoolsey
• Facebook

Sample Tweet: Thank you @RepThompson @RepGaramendi @RepLynnWoolsey for protecting #California #BerryessaSnowMountain http://bit.ly/K7LYox

Sample Facebook wall post: Thanks for introducing the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Act! Future generations will thank you for protecting their clean drinking water, animal habitat and incredible places to hike and camp!

This area boasts a stunning display of annual wildflowers, glittering snowfields, and clean water flowing from Cache Creek, a water source that sustains surrounding communities. Many animals - such as bald eagle, tule elk, Pacific fisher, black bear, mountain lion, osprey, river otter, trout and butterfly and dragonfly species - call this area home thanks to its untouched nature.

For all these reasons, Berryessa is a haven for hiking, biking, kayaking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, bird watching and camping. Protecting this gem is a win-win for the spectacular lands and surrounding communities, as outdoor tourism keeps money flowing in. According to the Outdoor Industry Foundation, California’s outdoor recreation economy contributes $46 billion annually to the state’s economy and supports 408,000 jobs.

The Wilderness Society joins the local community in celebrating this huge step toward permanently protecting Berryessa Snow Mountain.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Act joins a number of conservation measures awaiting action in Congress. Many bills with tremendous on-the-ground support have stalled due to a select few members of Congress who would rather sell off, giveaway, or squander our shared lands and waters for quick and dirty profits for corporate polluters. While America’s wilderness is under siege by some in Congress, moments like this remind us of the conservation legacy cherished by so many people.