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Land Without Roads” Wyoming’S Roadless Areas Are the State’S Hidden Gems by Molly Absolon

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Land Without Roads” Wyoming’S Roadless Areas Are the State’S Hidden Gems by Molly Absolon SPRING 2006 39 Years of Conservation Action R E P O R T More than a “land without roads” Wyoming’s roadless areas are the state’s hidden gems By Molly Absolon the easiest travel path in this land with no trails, thick vegetation and lots of small cliff bands to navi- gate. We scrambled around waterfalls cascading over moss-covered rock bands and crawled through tan- gled underbrush before the canyon floor opened up into a wide meadow sprinkled with late season asters. It was a beautiful, wild place. Canyon Creek, in the Shoshone National Forest, is just one of 115 inventoried roadless areas in Wyoming. Horseback riding is a popular Judy Inberg anuga “Roadless” is a technical term for national forest roadless area activity. lands greater than 5,000 acres that have no main- Jeff V tained roads and are essentially “natural.” In PAGE 5 long the eastern flanks of the Wind Wyoming, there are more than 3.2 million acres of Horse Whispering for a River Mountains, Canyon Creek slices designated roadless areas ranging in size from small Wild Backcountry down through layers of limestone, chunks like the 7,000-acre Canyon Creek parcel to dolomite and sandstone on its way the state’s largest, the 315,647-acre Grayback Roadless out of the mountains and into the Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. PAGE 6-7 Wind River Valley. The drainage created by the creek These special places are now up for grabs. President Roadless Area Users Aas it cuts down to the plains is similar to nearby Sinks Clinton’s roadless rule from 2001, which issued a Speak Out Canyon with its towering cliffs and sloping meadows, moratorium on future road building in these wild but Sinks Canyon is often crowded with visitors who lands, was overturned in 2005. The Bush administra- make the easy drive up from Lander to hike, climb or tion is now calling for state governors to petition the PAGE 8 just escape the heat of town for the afternoon. In secretary of agriculture with specific requests for Does Roadless Pay? Canyon Creek, you almost never see anyone. roadless area protection within their state boundaries. Above: Bonneville Pass in I first hiked up Canyon Creek nearly ten years ago. Governor Freudenthal has decided the best way to the Dunoir Roadless Area. My friends and I dropped into the valley near where determine the management of roadless areas is the creek flows into the Little Popo Agie River and through the forest plan revision process, currently hiked upstream. After a few too many tangles with underway on both the Shoshone and Bridger-Teton brush and boulders, we abandoned any attempt at national forests. continued on page 3 keeping our feet dry. Walking in the stream provided Around Wyoming: Calendar of Events Shane Smith E andek Program Updates and Outings Interview D Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 I S John F N I DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Executive Director Mark Preiss Leaving Cheyenne Established in 1967, the Wyoming Outdoor Council (WOC) is the state’s on the Road Less Traveled oldest and largest independent statewide conservation organization. Our mission is to protect Wyoming’s environment and ur programs are more effective and last- quality of life for future generations. ing if we engage people in our efforts, Frontline Report is the quarterly news- building broad support. With this in letter of WOC and is provided as a benefit O of membership. Letters to the editor and mind, the Wyoming Outdoor Council has been articles by members are welcome. working alongside the Wyoming Association of Churches, Wyoming Children’s Action Alliance, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the Wyoming Early Childhood Development Council to advance legislation that supports healthy commu- For more information contact: nities and a healthy environment. WOC, 262 Lincoln, Lander, WY 82520 The intent of this collaboration is to define a future for Wyoming that improves (307) 332-7031 (phone) (307) 332-6899 (fax) and promotes child welfare, public health, good jobs, and environmental protection. [email protected] On March 14, I spoke at a press conference at the capitol to affirm the need for all of us to work together to address these complex issues. I wanted you to know about this Board of Directors exciting effort. Below are excerpts from my comments. Jim States, Saratoga President • The Wyoming Outdoor Council is pleased to be working together with these fine Susan Lasher, Worland organizations and individuals, looking for new ways to support Wyoming’s working Treasurer families, and at the same time, protect the environment in which we live. Terry Rasmussen, Casper Secretary • For too long, we have seen a division between the health of our communities and Tom Bell, Lander the health of our environment. For too long, one interest has been pitted against Emeritus another. We’ve been told that we can’t have economic prosperity along with a Joyce Evans, Saratoga healthy environment. But Wyomingites know this is simply not true. We have come Scott Kane, Lander together to begin to address this unnecessary division and to support legislation and Barbara Oakleaf, Lander funding that reflects these values. Barbara Parsons, Rawlins • We support the concept behind the Energy School, and encourage the new school Sandy Shuptrine, Jackson to develop and maintain a strong relationship with the Ruckleshaus Institute. We Anthony Stevens, Wilson encourage the school to follow the intent of the legislation, and make strong Staff investments in renewable energy. We encourage the advisory committee to support Molly Absolon research, but to also apply this research on the ground in Wyoming. In this way, Communications Director the school can promote good jobs, and help develop new technologies, including Michele Barlow renewable energy, that protect Wyoming’s environment. Director of Government Affairs and Conservation Education • We encourage the legislature to support a living wage for Wyoming public employ- Andy Blair ees and repeal the food tax. We encourage our legislators to support strong and Community Outreach Coordinator meaningful investment in the Wildlife Trust Account. And we support the gover- Mary Jones nor’s appropriations for additional staff at the Department of Environmental Quality Administrative Assistant to maintain a checks and balance system for Wyoming’s energy development. Bonnie Hof bauer Office Manager • The legislation we have highlighted here today reflects a responsible balance. Our Steve Jones Senate President Grant Larson said it well in his remarks on the opening day of the Director of Air and Water Quality session: “We have a rare opportunity to meet all of our current needs, to fund Lisa Dardy McGee them, and we have the opportunity to address the future of Wyoming.” Director of National Parks and Forests • The Wyoming Outdoor Council agrees, and knows that we must take the fiscal Laurie Milford Development Director health of our state, its people, its communities and the health of our environment Bruce Pendery head on. To do anything less is unacceptable. Director of Public Lands As this issue of Frontline goes to press, the legislative session is winding down and Meredith Taylor the future of many of the bills highlighted above decided. As with all legislation, the Wildlife Program Coordinater real work begins after the session is over with the rulemaking process. We’ll keep you apprised and engaged. Mark Preiss, Executive Director Happy Trails, Mark Anne Austin, Frontline Designer 2 Frontline Report Wyoming Outdoor Council Spring 2006 COVER STORY continued from cover Supporters and Detractors: Who Has the Power? Giving Roadless Areas a Face The original 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule When you look at a map of Wyoming’s roadless generated more than 1.5 million comments—more areas, the pattern of distribution is easy to determine. comments than any other federal rule has ever Many of these lands are along the edges of mountain received. Ninety-five percent of these comments were ranges; they are the treed lowlands and open parks that in favor of continued protection for the nation’s were not designated as wilderness when the icy peaks remaining roadless areas. above were set aside. Often they are within easy reach A poll by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation of communities and many Wyoming citizens use them Partnership found that 84 percent of hunters and 68 for recreation. percent of anglers supported keeping roadless areas “I like to head for the open spaces where I can get roadless. More remarkably, a poll of registered voters away from people,” says Jim Pratt of Powell. Pratt, who nationwide found that 76 percent favored roadless pro- is retired, is a member of the Backcountry Horsemen of tection. This support crossed political parties: 62 per- America and a frequent user of both Wyoming’s wilder- cent of Republicans, 86 percent of Democrats, and 78 ness and its roadless areas. “I like to get up early and percent of Independents polled spoke up in support of watch the sun come up, build a fire, sleep outside, all the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. But these voices the things you go out there for. fell on deaf ears. “I’m very much in favor of roadless,” he continues. The Bush administration’s reversal of the Roadless “I’ve lived in Oregon where there are roads every- Area Conservation Rule negated the three-year effort of where. The last thing I want to do is ride down roads. countless administrators and citizens, wasted the mil- It’s terrible. When that happens here, I’ll get rid of my lions of dollars that went into hosting public meetings horses.” and congressional hearings as well as to continued on page 4 Across the state, roadless areas provide Wyoming citizens with these kinds of back-to-nature getaways far Many roadless areas are accessible for day-use.
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