Recreationists, young people, local citizens and conservationists all came out to support Utah’s public lands on August 3rd in Salt Lake City as part of America’s Great Outdoors. The listening session -- hosted by Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley; and Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey -- was attended by roughly 300 people who spoke about their conservation ideas for Utah.

Follow the gushing water of Tennessee’s Bald River and you will be taken through a peaceful route of pristine wilderness, stunning views, and eventually, if you’re on the right track, Bald River Falls, an awe-inspiring 100-foot waterfall that is one of the most photographed in the nation.

So uniquely wonderful is the area, located some 30 miles south of the Smokey Mountains, that it may be surprising to learn that much of it lacks federal Wilderness protections.

Did you know that wilderness boosts residential property values? This is one of the interesting facts from our recent statement on the economic benefits of wilderness for the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

“The thing that surprised me the most is how really connected I became to the North Cascades. How deeply I began to care about my surroundings being there for a whole month. It was all a new experience for me,” said Laura Humes, a 16 year old who lives in Seattle, Washington and took part in a month-long study program at North Cascades National Park last summer.

Six interns, three men and three women, all in their early twenties, all temporary residents in our nation's capitol, all from all over America — decided to leave the city for a weekend last month in search of an adventure.