The Wilderness Blog

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A promising trend - science and policy are reunited

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This year is shaping up to be a banner year for environmental policy. The Obama administration is making decisions based on sound science and reason, peeling away actions and policies created in the past administration that significantly weakened environmental protections. The administration is establishing a new hope for our forests and wildlife. more

Oregon’s Ancient Forests Win! Logging plans withdrawn at last

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As I sat down at my computer yesterday morning and looked at my overflowing email inbox, a new unread email subject line caught my eye: “Secretary Salazar to Announce Decision on Pacific Northwest Forest Management.” The day had come! The Obama Administration would finally decide the fate of Oregon’s ancient forests, which have been under serious threat from a Bush-era plan that proposed to more than double the amount of logging on some 2.6 million acres of Bureau of Land Management forests. more

Obama’s focus on science gives sea bird a reprieve

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Just six months into Obama’s presidency, we’re already beginning to see just how much we can get done with an administration that values strong scientific evidence. Last week, after years of foot-dragging by the Bush Administration, the White House released a landmark multi-agency government report on the effects of climate change on the U.S. Just a day later, a scientific report from the U.S. more

Oregon’s Ancient Forests: The window to protect them is closing

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Peg Reagan, former Curry County commissioner, smiles as she talks about her daily commute. It’s not everyone who gets to drive, or walk, depending on the day, through Oregon’s western forests on their way to work. These tranquil forests full of towering trees are truly special — and necessary, not only for humans, but for the pileated woodpeckers, cougars, bear, elk and other species who depend on these lands for habitat. more

Virtual OmniBUS Tour heads to Idaho wild lands

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Listen up everyone. We’re about to explore some beautiful but seriously rugged territory. Before we get out of the Virtual OmniBUS here in Idaho, I must stress that you follow today’s guide, John McCarthy, VERY closely. We’re going to hike through the Owyhee Canyonlands. Do not leave John’s sight. When we get back, let’s all take a moment to post comments that convey what we would like to say to Congress about the need to pass the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. more

Bush Administration Thumbs Nose at Oregon Endangered Species

In the waning days of the Bush administration it seems every new day brings with it another new midnight regulation. The final day of 2008 was no different. On Dec. 31 in Portland, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued Records of Decision moving forward with the Western Oregon Plan Revision, also known as WOPR. This occurred in spite of the 264 filed protests and the request of Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski to delay the adoption of the plan, not to mention the 80,000 letters generated by The Wilderness Society’s Wild Alert community. more

Standing up for Oregon’s Ancient Forests: Our members are making a difference!

In mid-November, we asked our Wild Alert subscribers to let the Bush Administration know that its last-minute plan to sell off some of our last ancient forests in Oregon to the timber industry is unacceptable. And the response was overwhelming! more

Experiencing the Importance of Conservation Firsthand

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Here I am at one of the West’s wildest and most spectacular waterways — eastern Oregon’s Owyhee River will offer the chance to escape to a remote desert canyon for six days, where I’ll enjoy stunning towers and rock formations, soak in natural hot springs, catch glimpses of soaring raptors and California bighorn sheep, and test my skill against exciting whitewater rapids. more