WILDERNESS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Dear sherrie,

The Rio Grande National Forest in southwestern Colorado has been called "one of the true undiscovered jewels of Colorado." Moose and mule deer call this forest home, and its alpine semi-desert grasslands, lodgepole pine forests and views of the rugged peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness make it a beloved destination for locals and tourists alike.

Little wonder, then, that a Bush Administration plan to lease 145,000 acres of the forest to oil and gas companies drew a public outcry from local officials, conservation groups, and two members of the Colorado delegation: Senator Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar.

And in a lovely intersection of citizen activism, congressional leadership, and agency responsiveness, the drilling proposal has been withdrawn. Don't you just love success stories? I do


Yours for continued success,



Suzanne Jones
Regional Director



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Support Our Work


Don't Pass up this Million Dollar Opportunity

Wouldn't it be nice if you could suddenly make double the difference in protecting America's wildlands? Today, sherrie, you can!

A couple of generous donors will match your gift dollar-for-dollar, in a one million dollar challenge grant. Why? Because they share your passion about protecting America's wilderness, and they are well aware that the Bush Administration can do some serious damage in its final days. This is when our work to save places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is most urgent.

Give today to see your donation go TWICE as far. And thank you!

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Take Action

Please Thank the Salazars for Their Conservation Efforts

The Rio Grande National Forest in southwest Colorado is home to moose, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and a host of other animals-- hardly the place for industrial oil and gas drilling. That's why local citizens and officials and conservation groups organized to oppose the plan. And when Senator Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar joined the effort, the federal land agencies withdrew the plan. This is a great success story, and a good reason to say thank you to the Salazars.


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Inside Story

And the Survey Says...

As a WildAlert subscriber, you are passionate about wildlife and the great outdoors. You love to visit wilderness, hike and camp or work in your garden and watch birds. Mobilizing with others to protect wilderness is a winning strategy for you.

That's just a part of what we've learned from this year's WildAlert survey, with its record 24,000 responses. Here's more: Most subscribers have spoken out via email about wilderness issues. A growing number are eager to help by making phone calls, posting information to blogs, and getting involved in other ways.

Your thoughts and opinions help to shape our strategies, and we'll be seeking more from you in the future. Thank you!

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News

New Washington Wilderness for the 21st century

America's brand new wilderness, dubbed Wild Sky, can be found on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest north of Seattle. It's Washington's first newly-designated wilderness in more than 20 years. It includes pristine lowland valleys, large stands of old growth forests and a handful of Washington's famous wild rivers. This is the culmination of a multi-year effort, and the WildAlert community has played an important role in gaining passage for this bill. Truly, this is something to celebrate!

Public Overwhelmingly Opposes Oil & Gas Drilling in Utah's Famed Nine Mile Canyon

House Passes Major Land Conservation Initiative

Bill would make the National Landscape Conservation System permanent.

PBS Features Alaska Wilderness

A new video about Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska will be shown on many PBS stations this summer. The park's creation was due in part to the actions of Wilderness Society giants Bob Marshall and Mardy and Olaus Murie. If you'd like to see it, go to your PBS station's web site and search on "Gates of the Arctic"
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Words to Inspire


"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'"
- Robin Williams
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The Wilderness Society's mission is to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. As a subscriber to WildAlert, you join more than 310,000 Wilderness Society members and supporters in protecting and restoring America's wild places.


www.wilderness.org 1615 M St, NW Washington, DC 20036 1.800.THE.WILD action@tws.org