The Wilderness Blog

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Public Lands: A Bridge to the Future

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This feature was first published in the 2009 Wilderness Magazine. To receive the annual magazine and quarterly newsletters from The Wilderness Society, become a member today! This article linking public lands, wildlife and climate change was written by Doreen Cubie of Awendaw, South Carolina, who also writes for National Wildlife and Audubon. By Doreen Cubie 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 Logging plans withdrawn at last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 next big opportunity: Court decision gives president chance to shape future of forests

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Thanks to a court victory last month that tossed out misguided ideas for how the U.S. should manage its forests, President Obama now has a golden opportunity to replace them with his administration’s principles. The result could be a mandate for the Forest Service to make decisions about managing forests based on the 21st century imperatives of global warming and clean drinking water. more

Hooked on saving North Carolina forest

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A decade or so ago a friend suggested to me that instead of my normal spring backpack into my favorite north Georgia trout fishing hole that I instead try the Fires Creek watershed in Clay County, North Carolina. I had seen the mountains that make up this magnificent watershed for years as I drove to various spots along the nearby Appalachian Trail for hiking, but knew little about access to the area, or developed trails. 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

Hope surfaces for restoring Alaska’s Tongass National Forest

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Returning to my desk in Anchorage after working in the field is not always easy, especially after the kind of success and inspiration I experienced in May. I was on Prince of Wales Island, the largest island in Southeast Alaska and the heart of the Tongass National Forest. Here, as in so many other places in the region, rural communities are struggling with declining populations and timber harvests, forests and streams degraded by past logging, and longstanding conflict over how best to manage the forest and its resources. more

Increased funding for Forest Legacy program hits home

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As the hot muggy days of summer descend upon our great nation’s capital, I find my mind wandering back to a little cabin in the woods of Maine. The place was nothing fancy; it was a real sweep-the-leaves-off-out-from-the corners kind of deal. But I’d be hard pressed to find better summertime memories than running wild under the cool pine trees and the way the chilly lake took my breath away every time I went crashing into its waters. more