Post by cdaxena on Oct 26, 2003 18:15:39 GMT -5
Wild Washington Campaign
The Wild Washington Vision, Goals and Strategy:
The Wild Washington vision is to ensure the permanent protection of federal public wildlands in Washington State and, where possible, to restore and reconnect wildlands fragmented by logging, road building, mining, and other significant human disturbances.
Wild Washington's primary conservation goal is to protect an estimated 3 million acres of wild federal land in Washington through Wilderness designation.
The Wild Washington strategy is built on three levels:
First, we are creating a statewide Wilderness movement -- Through collaborative efforts, shared information and supportive relationships, the Campaign is setting a visionary standard for protecting Washington's wilderness legacy.
Second, we focus locally to create political viability for Wilderness protection -- The fate of future Wilderness hinges on grassroots organizing, area by area. Together, Campaign groups make sure every National Forest roadless area is covered.
Third, we seize opportunities when they arise -- The Campaign is working proactively under changing political realities to build momentum towards the Wild Washington vision. By mobilizing support now for the Wild Sky Country, we hope it will be a flagship for other Wilderness proposals around the State.
Local Efforts:
The local efforts of many people are now coming together in a comprehensive statewide effort to save wilderness areas across the state. Washington Wilderness Coalition's Adopt-A-Wilderness Network (AWN) is helping individual activists and groups "adopt" unprotected wilderness areas and advocate for their protection. Adopters continue to refine the Campaign's inventory maps and are creating citizens' proposals for Wilderness protection.
In some places, new local groups are forming to protect the special places near their community.
For instance, through WWC's Adopt-A-Wilderness Network, activists for the Olympic National Forest wildlands have banded together. Already with 15 wilderness adopters, over 30 organization and business endorsers, and support from key locally elected officials, the Olympic group is working to save over 150,000 acres of unprotected roadless areas on the Olympic National Forest.
The informal working group in Bellingham has also transformed into a cohesive "Mt. Baker Wild" network of activists focused on gaining Wilderness designation for the unprotected wild forests adjacent to the Mt. Baker and Noisy Diobsud Wilderness Areas in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
In eastern Washington's rugged corners, places like the Kettle Range, Abercrombie-Hooknose and Quartzite roadless areas, and additions to the Salmo Priest and Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Areas contain some of the wildest country left in our state. Largely ignored in the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act, these wild forests of the Colville and Umatilla National Forests are being championed by local wilderness activists from the Kettle Range Conservation Group, The Lands Council, the Sierra Club, and the Spokane Mountaineers, as well as the Washington Wilderness Coalition.
Wild Washington builds on the strength of these local groups and their knowledge of place.
www.wawild.org/campaigns/wild_wa_campaign_update1.htm
The Wild Washington Vision, Goals and Strategy:
The Wild Washington vision is to ensure the permanent protection of federal public wildlands in Washington State and, where possible, to restore and reconnect wildlands fragmented by logging, road building, mining, and other significant human disturbances.
Wild Washington's primary conservation goal is to protect an estimated 3 million acres of wild federal land in Washington through Wilderness designation.
The Wild Washington strategy is built on three levels:
First, we are creating a statewide Wilderness movement -- Through collaborative efforts, shared information and supportive relationships, the Campaign is setting a visionary standard for protecting Washington's wilderness legacy.
Second, we focus locally to create political viability for Wilderness protection -- The fate of future Wilderness hinges on grassroots organizing, area by area. Together, Campaign groups make sure every National Forest roadless area is covered.
Third, we seize opportunities when they arise -- The Campaign is working proactively under changing political realities to build momentum towards the Wild Washington vision. By mobilizing support now for the Wild Sky Country, we hope it will be a flagship for other Wilderness proposals around the State.
Local Efforts:
The local efforts of many people are now coming together in a comprehensive statewide effort to save wilderness areas across the state. Washington Wilderness Coalition's Adopt-A-Wilderness Network (AWN) is helping individual activists and groups "adopt" unprotected wilderness areas and advocate for their protection. Adopters continue to refine the Campaign's inventory maps and are creating citizens' proposals for Wilderness protection.
In some places, new local groups are forming to protect the special places near their community.
For instance, through WWC's Adopt-A-Wilderness Network, activists for the Olympic National Forest wildlands have banded together. Already with 15 wilderness adopters, over 30 organization and business endorsers, and support from key locally elected officials, the Olympic group is working to save over 150,000 acres of unprotected roadless areas on the Olympic National Forest.
The informal working group in Bellingham has also transformed into a cohesive "Mt. Baker Wild" network of activists focused on gaining Wilderness designation for the unprotected wild forests adjacent to the Mt. Baker and Noisy Diobsud Wilderness Areas in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
In eastern Washington's rugged corners, places like the Kettle Range, Abercrombie-Hooknose and Quartzite roadless areas, and additions to the Salmo Priest and Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Areas contain some of the wildest country left in our state. Largely ignored in the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act, these wild forests of the Colville and Umatilla National Forests are being championed by local wilderness activists from the Kettle Range Conservation Group, The Lands Council, the Sierra Club, and the Spokane Mountaineers, as well as the Washington Wilderness Coalition.
Wild Washington builds on the strength of these local groups and their knowledge of place.
www.wawild.org/campaigns/wild_wa_campaign_update1.htm