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September 2002
Volume 9
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:
Ditching Fee Demo – According to a recent Internal Recreation
Fee Survey, many Forest Service employees reject recreation user-fees.
The following is a sample comment: "Forests are not Disneyland
and people should not be charged to recreation on the N.F.. Recreation
should not build facilities they cannot afford to maintain within
their budget. This program should be abolished and the people that
came up with the program fired." To see more comments, visit
http://www.wildwilderness.org/docs/dnfsay.htm
"The singing wilderness has to do with the calling of the loons….It
is concerned with the simple joys, the timelessness and perspective
found in a way of life that is close to the past." — Sigurd
Olson, author
Contents:
Wilderness News Briefs provide short issue summaries and contact
information. Action Alerts are full-length, time-sensitive postings.
Wilderness News Briefs:
1. Forest Service blocks grazing in Gila Wilderness, NM
2. Gates of the Arctic Wilderness protected from ATV damage (for
now…)
3. Pippen cabin ready for removal from Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness,
MT
4. Helicopters used to shuttle hikers in Bob Marshall Wilderness,
MT
Action Alerts:
1. Help keep the Bob Marshall Wild – Urge the Forest Service
to draft an Environmental Impact Statement before re-issuing outfitter
permits.
2. Equality for the Grand Canyon – Urge the National Park Service
to implement fair access.
* Wilderness News Briefs *
1. Forest Service blocks grazing in Gila Wilderness
Forest Service officials at the Gila National Forest in New Mexico
decided to abandon plans to reopen the Cold Springs grazing allotment
in the Gila Wilderness. In the past, the grazing allotment suffered
overuse, urging officials to close the area in 1996. The Forest
Service was considering reopening the allotment to 25 horses owned
by an outfitter guide operation when the proposal was challenged
by the Center for Biological Diversity. Faced with opposition, the
agency abandoned their proposal. Unfortunately, instead of blocking
the grazing completely, the agency moved the horses to another allotment,
which was closed in 2000 due to water shortages.
2. Good news for Gates – NPS will not grant permit for ATV
access
When this issue first appeared in August’s Wilderness Guardian,
the National Park Service (NPS) was considering whether to grant
a permit to a man and his son to ride two 8-wheeled, 1200 lb ATVs
called ARGOs 14 miles through Wilderness across fragile arctic tundra
to access an inholding. Luckily, letters and comments from concerned
citizens have convinced the NPS not to issue the permit this year,
though it could resurface sometime in 2003. The NPS is attempting
to contact the owner to discuss other options, including the possibility
of acquiring the inholding. If the applicant refuses to consider
other options, then the NPS will begin revision of the Environmental
Assessment to evaluate a wider range of alternatives and consider
new information that was provided in scoping comments.
3. Pippen cabin ready for removal from Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness,
MT
The contents of the Pippen cabin – a privately owned structure
in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness – were removed by pack
train in early September. The 72 year-old cabin will be burned sometime
next year, along with the controversial Crippen cabin. A third structure,
known as the Dayton cabin, was removed this past April.
Billings Gazette article: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2002/09/19/build/local/66-cabin.inc
4. Helicopters used to shuttle hikers in Bob Marshall Wilderness,
MT
The Forest Service is investigating allegations of unauthorized
helicopter landings in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The trouble
started when 40 local hospital staffers headed out on an overnight
hike. The group was travelling light, as their gear was flown in
to an airstrip in the Wilderness. Group size in the Bob Marshal
is limited to 15 people, so even split into two groups, the party
was in violation of Wilderness regulations.
Half of the group took a wrong turn up another trail, and had to
backtrack to pick up the right trail.
Meanwhile, the group at the overnight spot were getting concerned
so they contacted the hospital, which sent out two helicopters to
investigate. The helicopters shuttled at least 14 people to the
overnight spot.
The Forest Service is considering whether to issue citations, as
unauthorized intrusions and landings are prohibited in Wilderness.
Daily Interlake article: http://www.dailyinterlake.com/NewsEngine/SelectStory.tpl?command=search&db=news.db&eqskudata=11-813459-36
* Action Alerts *
1. Help keep the Bob Marshall Wild – Urge the Forest Service
to draft an Environmental Impact Statement before re-issuing outfitter
permits.
The Forest Service is reviewing its proposal to re-issue 64 five-year
outfitter and guide special use permits for the Bob Marshall Wilderness
Complex (Bob Marshall, Great Bear and Scapegoat Wildernesses). The
permits would run from 2003 to 2008. Many of these permits have
been re-issued every five years for decades, yet remarkably, they
have not been subject to environmental analysis or public review.
The "Bob" is one of America's flagship Wildernesses and
a truly extraordinary place. Yet, there are many serious resource
problems that should be addressed before new 5-year permits are
issued. Visitors increasingly complain about resource damage and
inappropriate uses they encounter on their trips. Waves of packtrains-some
with as many as 35 horses and mules hauling tons of gear and supplies-pulverize
the trails to the point that many wilderness trails now resemble
ATV "troads" and jeep trails. Hikers are often forced
to slog through ankledeep mud and manure as they travel through
the area. In addition, many of the dozens of assigned outfitter
camps resemble small-sized dude ranches complete with corrals, hitchrails,
fire pits, huge canvas cooking and sleeping tents stretched over
log frames, and cords of fuelwood stacked nearby.
What you can do
Now is the time for the Forest Service to take the required "hard
look" at the impacts from these commercial operations and to
implement safeguards to reduce the damage and restore the wild character
to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Write a letter to the Forest Service
requesting it to take action now to reduce the impacts from commercial
outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Make sure to
mention any personal experiences you have had in the Bob.
Send your letter to: Daina Bambe, District Ranger, Lincoln
Ranger District, P.O. Box 219, Lincoln,
MT 59639. E-mail: mailto:dbambe@fs.fed.us. Ask to be kept on the
mailing list to receive information relating to the issuance of
outfitter-guide permits in the Bob.
For more information contact George Nickas at Wilderness Watch,
(406) 542-2048; gnickas@wildernesswatch.org
2. Equality for the Grand Canyon – Urge the National Park
Service to implement fair access.
The following alert was issued by River Runners for Wilderness (www.rrfw.org).
In addition to their comments, please urge that the National Park
Service manage the Grand Canyon as Wilderness.
WHO GETS TO GO?
The Colorado River management Plan revision will specify who gets
to go on Grand Canyon river trips in the future. A common argument
voiced by river concessionaires is they need the lion's share of
river trips to serve America. The majority of concessions trips
serve the top 25% of America's income earners. Don't you deserve
to go regardless of your ability to pay?
HOW MUCH PUBLIC ACCESS?
This year, as for each of the past 15 years, about 19,000 commercial
passengers, 3,000 commercial crew, and 3,000 general public boaters
will enjoy the Grand Canyon river experience. Motor-free wilderness
management alternatives now under consideration by the National
Park Service can increase visitation to the river while adding fairness
in access not seen in over 30 years.
HOW LONG IS YOUR VACATION?
Since the Wilderness Act of 1964, river concessionaires have continued
to use large, polluting outboard motorized tour boats in mockery
of all wilderness areas in our national parks. Today, 3 out of 4
commercial passengers are only offered a 5 night glimpse of 2/3rds
of the canyon. A motor-free Colorado River will allow more Americans
to experience the entire canyon in 11 to 12 days, at the river's
pace. Rowing trips of 6 to 8 days will allow a more intimate experience
with part of the canyon.
Please take a few minutes to consider the issues and get involved.
The Grand Canyon needs your help to protect it from self-serving
commercial interests.
Send comments by November 1, 2002 or make them in person at one
of the public scoping sessions. For more information on these
sessions, visit www.nps.gov/grca/crmp.
To comment by mail: CRMP Team, Grand Canyon National Park, PO Box
129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023, or by email: grca_crmp@nps.gov
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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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