Scott Jonas N E N T W H S E E P

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S o MISSION t o h p We Keep the Promise of — by acquiring e l i f

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and transferring private lands (inholdings) to public L ownership that complete designated and proposed W wilderness areas, or directly protect wilderness values.

VALUES We revere our remaining wild places, a legacy to pass on to future generations, the tenacity to work until the job is done and treating everyone with fairness.

VISION We envision a National Wilderness Preservation System that is complete, secure and accessible.

SPRING 2019 Celebrating the Promise of Wilderness NEWS Clean mountain air. Crystal clear water. This newsletter is our opportunity to Soul nurturing solitude. A true wilderness share some of the amazing stories we’ve experience means unplugging, stepping had the privilege to write, thanks to A SAMPLE OF YOUR SUCCESS away and surrendering your senses to everyone who tirelessly supports Protecting nature’s profound beauty. Our mission is our mission to keep the promise of Hells Canyon to protect that experience and preserve it wilderness. Our success is YOUR success, for you, your family, and all the and we will continue sharing our stories 4 generations that come after you. of the great lands we are protecting From Colorado to Washington, we’ve taken important steps over the What’s on the horizon? and the diversity of people who are last six months to remove the threat of private development, save A Win for Our work protects vital wildlife habitat, making it possible. critical fish and wildlife habitat, and protect more wilderness for We are actively working in Wild Sky ensures clean water, and provides trail anyone with a love of the outdoors. Some of our recent wins include: numerous designated and 5 access for hunting, fishing, hiking, We would also love to hear your proposed wilderness areas this climbing, camping and horseback riding. wilderness story. Please email us at . We purchased three properties totaling 27 acres within the year in Alaska, California, Kalmiopsis Our process is efficient, effective and [email protected] with your Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado behind beautiful Emerald Lake Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Threat appeals to anyone who values wilderness favorite wilderness experience and we’ll (pictured above). Nevada, New Mexico, t

and smart land management. share it on our social media channels. s Eliminated r and Washington, and look o B . We returned 33 acres to Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park 6 d forward to sharing more success a r

B after removing a 2,000 sq. ft. house and restoring the land to its stories with you throughout Conversation natural state. the coming year. with a . We acquired the 324-acre California Condor/High Mountain/Trout Keep up with our work at Supporter Creek trail property, ensuring public access into the Santa Lucia The Wilderness Land Trust 7 and Garcia Wilderness areas. by following our adventures on Facebook, Instagram and . We transferred the 138-acre McGraw Creek property in Hell’s Canyon Twitter. Thank you for your Wilderness , Oregon, to the U.S. Forest Service (see story page 4) . unwavering support of . We closed on a 345-acre mining property in the heart of the our work to protect our Wild Sky Wilderness of Washington state (see story page 5) . wilderness landscapes!

. We purchased a 60-acre mining claim adjacent to the Little , the last remaining private inholding within the 180,000-acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness in Oregon (see story page 6) .

3 PROTECTING HELLS CANYON WILDERNESS

Wander through any of the 360 miles McGraw Creek property is one of my of trails within Hells Canyon Wilderness favorites,” says David Kirk, senior and you’ll experience rocky slopes and lands specialist with the Trust. “The grasslands dotted with Douglas fir, trail works its way along the cliffs Ponderosa pine, western larch, prickly framing the Snake River and then pear cactus and sagebrush. If you’re shoots straight up to a large bench patient, you may witness Rocky with commanding views of the Mountain elk or bighorn sheep rugged canyon. I was up there in early expertly navigating the steep canyons. October, and the property was a patchwork of brilliant orange and red However, the threat of development oak brush with a grove of old growth and destructive grazing still haunts Douglas fir trees guarding the mouth many areas of the Hells Canyon of a side canyon. Standing in the This critical land will Wilderness, which is why we are quiet, watching the sunlight warm the continue to provide thrilled to report that on February 20 landscape, I was overwhelmed with clean water for we transferred the McGraw Creek gratitude that we were able to protect spawning salmon, property on the Oregon side of Hells this pristine place forever.” old growth Douglas o t

o Canyon Wilderness to the U.S. Forest fir and western h p Service for permanent protection. With the threat of development e l

i hemlock, and the f

T McGraw Creek is a 138-acre parcel eliminated, the old-growth trees that L abundance of

W that sits on a scenic plateau just below stand majestically on the land will wildlife that call the rim of Hells Canyon. The land remain, as will the purity of the boasts a stunning view of the Snake seasonal stream that flows through this area home. River and can be accessed via a U.S. the property’s meadows – providing How Hells Canyon Forest Service trail from the river. shelter and nourishment for the Got Its Name elk, mountain goats and black “I have hiked many wilderness bear that hikers have spotted on Hells Canyon is a 10-mile-wide properties, but the journey into the the property. canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and western Idaho. y e F

“Standing in the quiet, watching the sunlight warm the n e

At 7,993 feet, it is North v e t America’s deepest river gorge. landscape, I was overwhelmed with gratitude that we S Most people assume its depth was were able to protect this pristine place forever.” the inspiration behind the name, – David Kirk, senior lands specialist but it was actually christened Hells Canyon because of the wild and TENACITY RESULTS IN A WIN FOR WILD SKY dangerous boat journey copper and gold miners took down the Snake River in the 1880s to Jon Mulford founded The Wilderness A sale was not imminent at that time, along with Jasperson, a nearby 20-acre seek their fortune. Land Trust in 1992 with a long-range but in early 2000, board member property. This critical land will continue mission to acquire unprotected private Bill Pope picked up the torch and to provide clean water for spawning The land within designated wilderness continued the Trust’s connection with salmon, old growth Douglas fir and designated the Hells Canyon and return it to public ownership. the landowners. Bill says it best: western hemlock, and the abundance Wilderness in 1975 and it now has He cultivated the Trust’s steady and “The Evergreen land was one of the of wildlife that call this area home. It is

e tenacious work ethic with the largest private properties left in Wild truly a wild place that is safe from c a total of 217,613 acres, with i v r

e understanding that some successes Sky and I knew it was critical for us future mining and logging, thanks to

approximately 86,276 acres in S

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s take time. In the late 1990s, Jon to protect it, no matter how long it the help of our passionate supporters. e

Idaho and approximately 131,337 r o

F established a relationship between the took to make it happen.”

acres in Oregon. It is managed by . S . Trust and a company that owned a We are now working hard to transfer U

the Bureau of Land Management , y

r 345-acre mining property in the Wild While it took a few more years, we are these Wild Sky properties to the and the U.S. Forest Service. e m

o Sky Wilderness of Washington state. thrilled to tell you we have closed on U.S. Forest Service for permanent g t

n the purchase of the Evergreen property, wilderness protection. o M

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4 5 A FINAL THREAT CHILDHOOD ELIMINATED FROM EXPERIENCES LEAD THE KALMIOPSIS TO ENVIRONMENTAL WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP

We are thrilled to report we have closed A conversation with Wilderness Land on the purchase of a 60-acre mining claim Trust supporter Scott Jonas adjacent the , the last remaining private inholding within the Scott Jonas loves his job working with a rapid- 180,000 acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness. paced, highly innovative Silicon Valley chip s

company but he also craves something he can’t a n

This southwest Oregon wilderness contains the o J

get in his day-to-day life as a software engineer – t headwaters of three national wild and scenic t o

the solitude of a long, remote trail. That’s why c rivers – the Chetco, North Fork Smith, and S he’s grateful for his frequent escapes to Illinois – clean, clear waters that provide Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness. critical habitat for salmon and steelhead. “I’m optimistic that the Trust’s support The World Wildlife Fund has labeled this will continue to grow, since it has such “Indian Peaks is only an hour from my house and area as one of the most botanically diverse it’s spectacular,” says Scott. “The alpine tundra is a great team and mission.” areas in North America. carpeted with wildflowers and the scattered rock gardens are home to columbines, purple fringe, Our acquisition eliminates forever the threat Kings Crown and paintbrush. When I’m hiking, in nature form a foundation for a sense of from a small mining operation, and the I often catch glimpses of pikas and yellow- stewardship and active care for the environment, potential removal of thousands of tons of bellied marmots foraging among the boulders. which is vital for the protection of a life- river gravel that would have directly impacted Sometimes what I first take for a smooth, round sustaining planet now and in the future. This critical spawning beds and water quality of stone turns out to be a ptarmigan.” certainly rang true for Scott who, in 2010, the Chetco River drainage. started searching online for a land conservation Growing up in southwestern Pennsylvania, Scott nonprofit he could support. After we finish restoring this land to its lived for day hikes with his scout troop and natural state, we will transfer the property longer backpacking trips on the Appalachian “My priority was wilderness preservation, since to the U.S. Forest Service to become a Trail and in West Virginia’s Dolly Sods Wilderness it’s the highest level of protection. My search led permanent part of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. in the summer. At the time, he had no idea me to The Wilderness Land Trust because their k

r what a designated wilderness area was, but he mission aligned with my goals. As a software i K

d remembers connecting with the land. “I learned engineer, I rely on tools that ‘do one thing well’ i

A helicopter removes remnants of a v a about wildlife, trees, plants and the ecosystem,” but can also work with other programs. The D mining camp from the Kalmiopsis says Scott. “Although I’m not sure how reliable Trust exemplifies this philosophy. It’s very focused this information was because I recall being told on its mission of acquiring and transferring that skunk cabbage was edible!” wilderness inholdings, and it effectively partners with landowners, businesses, government Scott says his childhood experiences in nature agencies and other nonprofits. I also appreciate had a lasting impact on him, particularly because getting regular project updates and being able to many of the areas where they hiked and camped see the Trust’s past and current projects on their were fairly developed. new website.”

“I witnessed the toll logging, mining, Scott says the recent purchase of a 60-acre construction and urban sprawl was taking on mining claim adjacent to the Little Chetco River the land, and I longed to see unspoiled places,” in Oregon’s Kalmiopsis Wilderness is his favorite says Scott. “Later, when I read books like A Sand Wilderness Land Trust project to date. Asked County Almanac , the urgency of protecting wild about his hopes for the future of The Wilderness lands really resonated with me. This motivated Land Trust and our nation’s wilderness, Scott me to move west and join nonprofits that says, “I’m optimistic that the Trust’s support will protect public lands.” continue to grow, since it has such a great team and mission. Nationally I’d like to see more land Studies cited in the Oxford Handbook of across the nation designated as wilderness Environmental and Conservation Psychology because plants and wildlife need undeveloped t

s illustrate that direct childhood experiences space to thrive .” Just don’t eat the skunk cabbage. r

o Little Chetco Cascade B

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a in the Kalmiopsis r B Wilderness

6 7 NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID HELENA, MT PERMIT NO. 221

PO Box 11697 Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

wildernesslandtrust.org

SPRING 2019 NEWS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Karen Fisher, Chair, California KEEPING Jean Hocker, Vice Chair, Virginia Denise Schlener, Treasurer, Washington, DC Andy Wiessner, Secretary, Colorado WILDER NESS Jim Babbitt, Arizona Jim Blomquist, California Danna Bowers, Washington WILD Craig Groves, Montana Bill Pope, Washington Zack Porter, Vermont Sarah Chase Shaw, Colorado Doug Scott, California Mark Trautwein, California Paul Torrence, New York Jacqueline Van Dine, California Liz Wilson, Washington Jon Mulford, Emeritus, Nebraska

STAFF Brad Borst, President Aimee Rutledge, Vice President and Senior Lands Specialist Reid Haughey, Senior Lands Specialist David Kirk, Senior Lands Specialist Lisa Janeway, Director of Operations Ingrid Ougland, Director of Communications k r

i Little Chetco River in K d

i Oregon’s Kalmiopsis Wilderness v a

D (see story page 4)