Stories from the Northern Forest

The Northern Forest is within a day’s drive for more than 70 million people, but some people call this wild wonderland home.

Find out about the people that live, work and play in the Northern Forest and why they want to keep these woods healthy and vibrant for generations to come.

Dan Newton

Dan Newton is an English teacher who explores White Mountain National Forest with his family, finding spiritual faith and inspiration.

Polly Mahoney

Master dogsled guide Polly Mahoney and her 41 dogs lead others on trails and down rivers in the wilderness of the mountains of western Maine.

mywilderness

Hear artists, activists and adventurers share what the ownership and legacy of these American wildlands means to them.

Why Wilderness

Wilderness is a precious resource with many human, natural and economic benefits that we need to protect.

Enter to Win

Need inspiration to protect wilderness? Enter our Wild Days of Summer give-away to win airfare to visit your favorite wild place.

Drilling bills again threaten Western Arctic and other American wildlands

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The effort is part of a trio of bad drilling bills resurfacing in the House this week, proving that while Congress has its wilderness champions, it also has its share of wilderness foes who just won't quit when it comes to legislation that attacks wildlands
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Alaska governor targets Arctic Refuge for oil and gas drilling

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Despite decades of Americans saying “no” to oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska’s governor has proposed a plan that includes seismic testing and exploratory drilling in the very heart of the refuge – the coastal plain.
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Will the George Washington National Forest be next to get fracked? Help us say no!

Monday, May 20, 2013

The Forest Service proposed a ban last year on horizontal drilling, also known as fracking. Their decision will determine how this forest is managed for at least the next decade.
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Keywords:
- George Washington National Forest
- fracking

Congress Picks the Wrong Battle on Public Land Sequestration

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Yet, here we are, with people and the government unable to stop furloughs, job losses, and lower revenue to keep the government functioning. Our public lands have certainly not been spared from this indiscriminate budget ax.
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Drill here, Sell there?

Friday, May 3, 2013

This is not great environmental news.
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Keywords:
- oil
- gas
- drilling
- energy exports
New bill would expand energy efficiency measures across the country

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S.
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Keywords:
- energy efficiency
- legislation

Alaska’s Izembek wilderness is a political hostage

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

But Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski refused to accept that decision. She and residents of the tiny community of King Cove are fighting to have the decision overturned.
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Keywords:
- Alaska
- Izembek National Wildlife Refuge
Sagebrush safaris return to northwest Colorado

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Birdwatchers travel from far and wide to northwest Colorado to see male sage-grouse strut their stuff in hopes of attracting a mate. Early spring is prime season to catch these timid grouse dancing on the lek and shaking their tail feathers through organized tours.
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Keywords:
- greater sage grouse
- Oil and gas drilling
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Illabot Creek move one step closer to protection

Thursday, March 14, 2013

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Blueprint for a responsible renewable energy program on public lands

Smart Steps to Establish a Responsible Program for Renewable Energy on Public Lands

Since its first day in office, the Obama Administration has made rapid and responsible expansion of renewable energy a top priority. The public lands have played a major role in achieving early goals, but only because of focused effort to correct decades of inattention and inactivity toward developing renewable energy as a major component of the nation’s energy mix.
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By The Numbers: Acres for Energy and Conservation

Expanding energy development to meet the growing needs of America must be balanced with protecting vital wild places.

The Wilderness Society has launched a new quarterly report "By The Numbers" to track how many acres of American land have been protected by Congress and the Executive branch, and how many acres have been leased out to energy development.
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Support letter to Senators Shaheen and Portman for the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act

April 24, 2013

Dear Senator:
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Testimony reveals Kulluk needed more tow vessels

Tim Woody
Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Witness testimony today by Noble’s Offshore Installation Manager Todd Case as he was questioned by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the Kulluk drill rig -- which Shell attempted to tow across the Gulf of Alaska with a single tow vessel before it broke loose and ran aground last New Year’s Eve -- should have had multiple tow vessels for safe transport.

Case was aboard the Kulluk when it went adrift and ran aground on a small island south of Kodiak.
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Hastings-Young bill would scrap a balanced plan for NPR-A

Tim Woody
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

U.S. Representatives Don Young and Doc Hastings have introduced H.R. 1964 in an effort to scrap the Department of the Interior’s recently finalized, comprehensive plan for the western Arctic’s National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, the nation’s largest tract of public land. The bill is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow on Capitol Hill.
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Blueprint identifies ways Interior Department can continue building a smart renewable energy plan to meet Obama’s goals

jdickson
Monday, May 20, 2013

Identifying smart steps the Obama Administration, including the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Land Management, can take to continue building a responsible program for renewable energy are part of a “blueprint for action” released by The Wilderness Society today.
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