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July 2002
Volume 7
Welcome to the Wilderness Guardian, a monthly online digest
dedicated to providing up-to-date news and
information concerning Wilderness protection and stewardship nationwide.
A service of Wilderness Watch, the
Guardian was created to help Wilderness advocates keep abreast of
breaking news, as well as providing
contact information to facilitate public participation.
Interesting Tidbits & Wilderness Quotes:
Wolves get a Chance in Idaho - A District Judge in Idaho
recently ordered the Forest Service to give the survival of wildlife,
such as the gray wolf, precedence over livestock in the Sawtooth
National Recreation Area (SNRA). The SNRA includes the 200,000+
acre Sawtooth Wilderness.
Quote – "It is my fear that if we allow the freedom
of the hills and the last of the wilderness to be taken from us,
then the very idea of freedom may die with it." – Edward
Abbey
Contents:
Wilderness News Briefs provide short issue summaries and contact
information. Action Alerts are full-length, time-sensitive postings.
Wilderness News Briefs:
1. Candid Camera in Wilderness?
2. The return of the Outfitter Policy Act
3. New bill seeks to protect backcountry airstrips
1. Bear biologists proposes use of cameras in Glacier Bay National
Park
A bear biologist has submitted a research proposal seeking to place
stationary cameras in select areas of Glacier Bay National Park
to observe bear/hiker interactions. The entire park is designated
as Wilderness, bringing the suitability of electronic surveillance,
even for scientific purposes, into question. The wilderness and
backcountry manager is seeking comments on the proposal on Wilderness.net.
the discussion can be reviewed at: http://www.wilderness.net/forum/OpenThread.cfm?forum=3&ThreadID=118
2. Congress considers Outfitter Policy Act
HR 2386, the Outfitters Policy Act, is back in front of Congress
for the 5th consecutive year. The Act seeks many privileges for
commercial guiding operations, including preference over non-commercial
user groups, and modifications that would change outfitter permits
into a legal property right that could be sold, traded, or inherited.
The Act can be reviewed at:
http://thomas.loc.gov (to find the text of the bill, search for
H.R. 2386)
3. New bill seeks continuance of backcountry landing strips
Idaho Representative "Butch" Otter held a Forest and Forest
Health Subcommittee field hearing on July 27th to discuss the Backcountry
Landing Strip Access Act, and his new bill, H.R. 3661. H.R. 3661
prohibits the federal government from closing landing strips without
the agreement of state aviation authorities, and calls for a national
public policy on airstrips. The bill also calls on the government
to authorize efforts to maintain the airstrips. Many backcountry
airstrips are located in Wilderness, and are used to bring in supplies
to outfitters and hunting parties.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Since
its founding in 1989, Wilderness Watch has pursued its mission
as the citizen voice for Wilderness
stewardship, giving a voice to the wilderness and wild rivers of
our national preservation systems. We
seek to preserve our unique natural heritage - the public will articulated
by the Wilderness Act and Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act.
To join Wilderness
Watch please visit our website at www.wildernesswatch.org.
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe from
this list, have any questions, or would like to post a news
release, please contact Hilary Wood at hwood@wildernesswatch.org.
If you prefer the post, please send your
letters to:
Wilderness Watch
P.O. Box 9175
Missoula, MT 59807
Ph: (406) 542-2048
Fax: (406) 542-7714
http://www.wildernesswatch.org
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