Glenn Randall

protecting wild places and wildlife, for their sake – and ours Winter 2014

Trouble in paradise The Forest Service is sounding the alarm on wilderness hot spots.

ilderness designation single night in July, Forest Service Wmay be the best defense wilderness rangers counted 42 against drilling, logging, mining occupied campsites around the and such, but there’s one threat springs, with a total of 161 camp- that it doesn’t keep out: us. ers. Over the summer, rangers The most popular wilderness hauled out 640 pounds of trash, areas, such as our own Maroon and had the grim job of burying Bells-Snowmass, face a growing 168 piles of human waste. (The dilemma. Parts of them are just cleanup was graphically docu- too attractive for their own good, mented in “Wilderness in Peril,” inviting overuse that degrades an excellent short video that you the very solitude and wildness can find on Youtube.) they’re supposed to preserve. At the Forest Service’s request, This past summer, the Aspen WW wilderness monitoring media were full of stories about specialist Dave Richie made a

Courtesy Red Lodge Clearinghouse trouble in paradise. While the special trip to sample the springs 50th anniversary of the Wilder- for fecal coliform contamina- The Forest Service plans to launch a community discussion ness Act was an occasion to tion. Happily, the levels were this winter to figure out how to reduce impacts to local celebrate these protected areas, well within acceptable limits, but wilderness hot spots like Conundrum Hot Springs. it also brought attention to some we’ll continue to test the springs rather alarming trends. on an annual basis. Conundrum Hot Springs was the poster child for overuse. On a CONTINUED ON page 10

Election Debrief Pg. 4JUNE 2012 | Wild Works 1 natural settings for our recreation fact it won’t be a done deal until all available for leasing, and the BLM A QUESTION OF BALANCE lifestyle and economy. the objections have been settled – anticipates that more than 26,000 However, there’s some fine print. and we won’t be surprised if industry wells will be drilled in the basin About half of the Thompson Divide groups appeal to try to roll back in the next 20 years – that’s half as e hope that by the time you Thompson Divide and other sensi- have high hopes that the plan will is already leased, and existing leases the key provisions. And failing that, many wells as currently exist in the receive this newsletter, the tive areas on the Forest. close the Thompson Divide – or at W won’t be affected by this plan (it ap- industry could sue over the plan. entire state. final Oil and Gas Leasing Plan for WW has been leading the con- least the lion’s share of it – to further plies only to future leasing). Further- They’ll probably holler that their We probably won’t find the plan the White River National Forest will servation community’s engagement leasing. more, the plan won’t limit leasing in members are being squeezed out of entirely to our liking either, but be out. If you’ve been reading the the southwestern part of the Thomp- the White River National Forest, but bottom line, it’s a step in the right papers, you’ll know what’s in it. As Will the new oil and gas plan move more son Divide, because that area is in a the fact is that the vast majority of direction, and we’ll likely need to we went to press, we didn’t. different national forest. Finally, the our public lands are leased or avail- defend it against possible attempts to The plan’s release should be a toward the sensible middle on leasing in the leasing closure isn’t permanent – it’s able for leasing (see below). In the undermine it. fairly momentous development, and Thompson Divide and roadless areas? only for the life of the plan. Piceance Basin alone, more than 6.5 a largely positive one, so we’d like It’s called a “final” plan, but in million acres of federal lands are still to offer the Wilderness Workshop’s interpretation of it based on what we on the revision process since 2009, That change would get a lot of expect… hopefully. and we’ve consistently pushed for a media attention, and with good complete halt to further leasing reason, because it would signal that on the White River National the Forest Service agrees that the OPEN FOR BUSINESS Forest in the upcoming plan. Thompson Divide is a special place recent report by The Wilderness acreage is actually in production. Even actively set aside areas for conservation Forest Service protects Unfortunately, that’s not that deserves special treatment. Society reveals that the Bureau of as they’re seeking to lease and drill more protection; steer oil and gas to where it’s likely to happen. The BLM, in turn, would have to A #ThompsonDivide Land Management treats the oil and gas federal lands, private companies are most appropriate; and build more bal- But there are indications consider that thinking in its separate industry as a favored tenant on the lands sitting on more than 23 million acres of ance into oil and gas leasing planning. that the new plan will be a big review of 65 disputed roadless-area it stewards. American land, and hoarding more than We heartily concur. As the conserva- improvement over the old one. leases in and around the Thomp- “Open for Business (and Not Much 6,700 approved drilling permits. tion boots on the ground in our part of It won’t be an environmental- son Divide – illegal leases that we Else),” released in October, finds that 90 In its report, The Wilderness Society Colorado, the Wilderness Workshop ist’s dream, nor an industry contend should be voided, and that percent of the 250 million acres man- says the BLM has the authority to do bet- is continually trying to get the BLM to giveaway, but it will begin to don’t adequately protect existing aged by the BLM are available to oil and ter, and offers some sensible suggestions abide by these principles in its local restore some balance after a values such as clean air and water, gas drillers. The figure for Colorado is for doing so: don’t make land open to decisions. long period of anything-goes bountiful wildlife, productive forage now it’s your turn @BLMColorado even worse – 94 percent. oil and gas development by default; pro- leasing. for local ranching operations, and While most BLM lands are required The most significant change Peter Hart by law to be managed for multiple that we’re hoping to see is uses, the report details how the agency a requirement that any new Here’s what we hope to be thankful for this holiday season. how you systematically favors oil and gas devel- leases issued in inventoried opment over recreation and conserva- This is the document that will roadless areas carry “no surface can help tion. This puts vital watersheds, critical guide the White River National occupancy” stipulations. In other Given the likely industry pressure wildlife habitat, wilderness-quality Forest’s decisions on oil and gas words, roadless areas will remain to weaken the plan’s protections, lands and popular recreation destina- leasing over the next 20-plus years. roadless – which stands to reason, we’ll need to push back hard to tions a distant second in BLM’s ranking The current plan dates from 1993, right? In practice, that will mean ensure the Forest Service sticks of the land it oversees. when there was very little drilling that a company buying a lease in a to its guns. Please send an email This bias allows industry to lock up activity in the region, and fracking roadless area will be able to develop now using our action page: much of our public lands. Currently, and directional drilling technologies it only by drilling from outside the more than 36 million acres of surface had yet to transform the industry. area boundary. wildernessworkshop. lands or mineral estate managed by the It’s weak and way out of date; its We and our partners at the BLM are under lease by the oil and gas inadequacies led to leasing of the Thompson Divide Coalition also org/action industry – yet only 35 percent of that

Graphic courtesy of The Wilderness Society

2 Wild Works | JUNE 2012 3 2 Wild Works | Winter 2014 WinterJUNE 20122014 | Wild Works 3 2015 ELECTION DEBRIEF Nights

f you’re hoping for a defini- the Thompson Divide and Central legislation. Nowadays you’ve got to I tive analysis of what the recent Mountains remains the foundation of have other tools in your toolbox. elections will mean for local and our legislative strategy. At WW, we’ve found that our regional conservation efforts – well, Meanwhile, the lame duck ses- greatest leverage is often in admin- ask us in another six months. sion of the current Congress may be istrative processes – i.e., protect- There’s no denying that it was a an opportunity to win last-minute ing land through Forest Service FREE WINTER SPEAKER SERIES setback to lose our senior Senator, passage of one or two Colorado and BLM decisions – and this has Mark Udall, who had committed public-lands bills. In the first day of proved to be the most effective way in Aspen and Carbondale to introducing a Central the session, the Hermosa Creek bill to defend the Thompson Divide, for January 7 (C) & 8 (A) How Bears Make a Living off Salmon in Mountains wilderness bill passed out of the Senate Energy and example. Going forward, if Congress Kodiak, Alaska in the next Congress, and Will Deacy, University of Montana who had joined as a co- While the new Congress may force us 14 (C) & 15 (A) DamNation sponsor of Sen. Michael Film screening Bennet’s Thompson Di- to shift focus, wilderness remains vide protection bill. We’ll a bipartisan issue. 21 (C) & 22 (A) Capturing Glacial Change Through 3-Dimensional Time-Lapse Photography on the Helheim Glacier, Greenland now have to start from Adam LeWinter, PhD., Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory scratch with Udall’s suc- Natural Resources Committee (its won’t play ball, we can use agency cessor, Corey Gardner, to last step before a final vote in both processes to preserve the eligibility 28 (C) & 29 (A) Adapting to Extremes: Life in Alaska’s Arctic Andre Wille, National Science Foundation find out what’s important houses). We’re cautiously optimistic of our special places for legislative ary to him and to show him there’ll be new wilderness in Colo- protection down the road. One way Bears in Alaska Febru the depth of public sup- rado before the end of the year! we’ve already begun this work is by 4(C) & 5 (A) Wilderness in Peril: Overuse in the emarkableMaroon Bells-Snowmass Biology port for these campaigns. The next Congress is likely to be successfully pressuring the regional Wilderness Our other members of a mixed bag in terms of environ- BLM office to add to its inventory of Karen Schroyer, Aspen-Sopris District Ranger, White River National Forest

Congress – Sen. Michael mental issues. The incoming chairs “lands with wilderness characteris- 11 (C) & 12 (A) Ordinary Extraordinary Junco: R Bennet and Reps. Scott of the House and Senate natural tics.” From a Backyard Bird Tipton and Jared Polis (in resources committees are likely to One last point: historically, con- Film screening Summit and eastern Eagle run some pretty horrendous bills servation hasn’t always been a par- 18 (C) & 19 (A) Wilderness Pecha Kucha County) – will remain in aimed at rolling back protections for tisan issue, and there’s no reason for Slide show and performances by local artists and wilderness seekers office. clean air and water, human health it to become one now. Safeguarding DamNation It’s too soon to say ex- and wildlife. But at the same time, our natural heritage for future gen- 25 (C) & 26 (A) Lessons in Protecting Wildlands from Oil and Gas Development Peter Aengst, Northern Rockies Director, The Wilderness Society actly how our game plan the new chair of the House Natural erations is just sound policy, regard- will change in the next Resources Committee, Bob Bishop less of one’s party. ellow Billed Cuckoo: Colorado’s Newest Threatened Species March Congress. In the coming of Utah, may want to pass a wilder- The Wilderness Workshop is 4 (C) & 5 (A) Western Y week’s we’ll be discuss- ness bill or two of his own, and that eager to work with Republicans and Jason Beason, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory Biologist ing with our conservation means he’s going to have to let other Democrats alike. It would be foolish 11 (C) & 12 (A) Fire in the Hunter Creek Valley partners around the state legislators run similar bills. So you indeed to let what we care most Jason Sibold, PhD., Colorado State University and nationally how to can expect us to reach out to you for about become a political football, Our elected representatives in prioritize various legisla- help, both to stop bad bills and to carried by one party and blocked by ellow Billed Cuckoo the next Congress: Sens. Corey tive efforts. Regardless support good ones. the other. We think protecting wil- Western Y Gardner and Michael Bennet; of who’s in office, the It used to be that organizations derness can transcend politics, and Rep. Scott Tipton. broad-based commu- like the Wilderness Workshop put we’ll work with and welcome sup- nity support for both most of their energy into passing porters of any political persuasion. Presented by: Presentations are Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at Carbondale’s Third Street Center, and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES). 4 Wild Works | JUNE 2012 JUNE 2012 | 5 4 Wild Works | Winter 2014 (A) = Aspen, (C) = Carbondale aspennature.org Winterroaringforkaudubon.org 2014 | Wildwildernessworkshop.org Works 5 Twitter

held up as the antidote to digital wilderness will work its magic on TAKEAWAYS FROM WILDERNESS 50 overload, the place to unplug and them? reconnect with the non-man-made, – Karin Teague, Board President natural world. Celebrating, and contemplating, the 50th anniversary of Increasing our diversity So what’s a wilderness organi- the Wilderness Act. zation – one whose very mission As I listened to the largest col- lection of wilderness gurus ever Wilderness Workshop depends on cultivating the next @WildforGood he great and the good of the at the International Mountain Biking IMBA and the Colorado Backcountry generation of advocates – to do? assembled (or so it seemed) in T national wilderness movement Association (IMBA). My Powerpoint Trail Riders Alliance. I show photos Besides the obvious need to Albuquerque, I constantly asked gathered for a three-day conference is full of images of all the things you of mountain-bike trails that hope- embrace digital and social media, myself if the Wilderness Workshop I Wilderness Workshop @WildforGood Oct 15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico in Oc- can’t do in a wilderness area; but fully will become the boundary we must create ways for millennials was properly aligned with the best of tober to toast the first 50 years of the slowly the room fills, and if noth- between new wilderness and these to experience wild places on their their thinking, and what we could do The WW crew (Sloan, Karin and Will) Wilderness Act, and to ponder what ing else people are curious to see if novel forms of land protections that terms, in their own ways. to ensure that we were well prepared is down in Albuquerque for the big may be in store for the next 50. sparks will fly. allow mountain-bike use. That may mean that a first foray to steward wilderness for the next 50 #wilderness50 conference. Three WW representatives attend- As any of you who have followed I don’t want to sugarcoat it. The to a mountaintop is made with the years. ed, and brought back these reports. the Hidden Gems or Central Moun- reality is that recreational advocates I’m happy to report that, by and encouragement of music streamed I Wilderness Workshop @WildforGood Oct 16 tains wilderness campaigns know, will continue to try to carve off parts through ear buds. Does this take large, WW is properly founded in Making common cause “The best classroom in the world is one the relationship between wilderness of proposed wilderness areas that away from a full sensory experience our work, current with the best ideas Dirt bikes and mountain bikes at with no walls, one which is untrammeled” advocates and mountain bikers, they consider rideable. However, of the wild, including the quiet (what and properly poised for the next a wilderness conference? It’s 8 a.m. @SecretaryJewell at #wilderness50 snowmobilers, ATV riders and in an increasing number of cases, Dave Foreman, a keynote speaker at 50 years…except in one critically and I’m not sure if I’m dreaming. jeepers has not been an easy one. they’re also playing a key role in the conference, calls “the hush”)? It important way: demographics. I’ve been invited to give a presenta- What is there to say to a room full of helping ensure that legislation gets well may, but it also may be what’s Much of the wilderness movement I Wilderness Workshop @WildforGood Oct 16 tion on how working with recre- wilderness advocates about the folks drafted in the first place and priori- needed to bring young people in, looks like me – white, male and gray. ational users from the motorized and “The wilderness movement is a who often are directly responsible tized by our members of Congress. and, if the experience is positive, it As today’s young people are increas- mechanized (i.e., mountain biking) continuation of the civil rights movement” for reducing the size of wilderness – Will Roush, Conservation Director will lead to further wilderness ven- ingly seduced by little virtual-reality communities can benefit wilder- @TempestWilliams. #wilderness50 proposals? tures where perhaps the iPod will be screens, and the composition of the ness. Sitting on the panel with me is Going digital with millennials Quite a bit, it turns out. left at home. nation gets more complex and color- Aaron Clark, public lands director “If it’s not digital, it’s not impor- The bulk of my presentation In any event, who are we to tell ful, the wilderness movement must I Wilderness Workshop @WildforGood Oct 17 tant.” Those words, spoken at a consists of several stories about wil- young people how to experience adapt or die, and with it the value presentation about wilderness and “Do we have the generosity and the derness campaigns in Colorado. In wilderness? They’ll figure it out, just and concern for one of our nation’s millennials (people born in 1980 or greatness of heart to live with all the other each, conservationists invited moun- as millennials have figured out how best ideas, wilderness. later), were my takeaway from the creatures on the tree of life” Dave Foreman tain bikers and dirt bikers to have a to bring vitality and beauty to so I concluded that WW must devel- Albuquerque conference. #wilderness50 conversation about (and in the case much of their world. Google “skate- op programs that actively reach out The mantra could arguably be of IMBA, jointly campaign for) new boarding,” for example, to get a taste to young people and diverse cultures taken a step further: For millennials, I Wilderness Workshop @WildforGood Oct 17 wilderness. I talk about working of their overflowing creativity. That in our community, or we too will if it’s not digital – that is, if it doesn’t on a management plan for a new same creativity could be brought to go the way of the dodo. You’ll hear “I think the future for wilderness is bright; appear on a screen – it doesn’t exist. dirt-bike trail system between Basalt bear on adventures in the wild and more about this in coming months, whoever controls congress, we will see This reality presents a profound and Gypsum, which WW is support- serve as the hook they need. but I wanted to start the discourse by new wilderness” Paul Spitler: @Wilderness challenge to anyone in the wilder- ing as long as it’s managed well. I While many of us value wilder- inviting our members with expertise #Wilderness50 ness movement, as we tend to count describe support for additional lands ness for the solitude it offers, millen- in youth and diverse-culture out- (both wilderness and less protective on real, visceral experience in the reach to share their wisdom with nials, who are also intensely social, I Wilderness Workshop @WildforGood Oct 19 management areas) to be added to wild to convert people to its impor- us. This isn’t our area of expertise, may be drawn in by visuals that Dave Foreman calls for 300 million acres our wilderness proposal from both tance. Indeed, wilderness is often so please show us the trail you’ve show wilderness as places where of wilderness on land and 500 million in the already blazed. they can spend exciting and chal- ocean at #wilderness50 @Wilderness @ Mountain-biking and wilderness advocates can work together on conserving public – Sloan Shoemaker, Executive Director lenging time with friends. And once pewenvironment lands. Imagine this trail threading between designated wilderness and a special they’re in it, who isn’t confident that management area – a win-win for all. Ann Driggers

6 Wild Works | JUNE 2012 7 6 Wild Works | Winter 2014 WinterJUNE 20122014 || Wild Works 7 A WILD YEAR 2014 was extra busy, thanks to a series of events marking the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and of our own Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. This page (counterclockwise from left): WW co-founder Joy Caudill cutting the cake at the Maroon Bells Birthday Bash; Karin Teague and group atop Treasure Mountain; Alex Bethel in a flowery mood; kids dressing up at the Birthday Bash photo booth; volunteers removing barbed wire near Ashcroft; the crowd at WW’s “Untrammeled!” symposium in Aspen. Opposite page (clockwise from upper left): WW executive director Sloan Shoemaker speaking at the Birthday Bash; WW staff on the trail; hikers on Midway Pass; Richard Vottero urging the BLM to void contested oil and gas leases; more barbed- wire removal; photographer John Fielder presenting his 50th- anniversary slide show in Aspen; The Wilderness Society’s Jamie Williams speaking at “Untrammeled.”

Dave Reed Dave Reed Peter Hart Alex Bethel

Karin Teague Melanie Finan Melanie Finan Will Roush

Susie Amichaux Dave Reed Will Roush Melanie Finan Will Roush derness magnets aren’t making the years old, and needs updating. trouble in paradise FROM PAGE 1 grade these days. Other wilderness areas, includ- NEW WILDERNESS BILL And it’s not just that too many ing the Indian Peaks and adjacent Further sobering news came in nothing’s a secret anymore. Selfies, people are hitting the hot spots; Rocky Mountain National Park, have November, when the Aspen-Sopris social media, online reviews and there’s also been a noticeable de- already gone down this road, and 60,000 acres are proposed for protection in Ranger District reported that 54,000 top-ten lists are increasingly putting cline in wilderness ethics. Conun- of course many rivers have had to Summit and eastern Eagle Counties. people had hiked the trail from such places on the map. A relatively drum is where it’s most noticeable. be rationed. The solution generally Maroon Lake to Crater Lake during few greatest-hits destinations are get- Some visitors are treating the springs comes down to a permit system to vershadowed, perhaps, by the four-month summer season – a ting overrun, and our Maroon-Bells like a backcountry rave, disrupting limit the number of people who can O all the carrying-on about the staggering 26 percent increase over Snowmass Wilderness is high on the the solitude with boom boxes and use the high-use area during busy 50th anniversary of the Wilderness last year. international bucket list. leaving behind cast-off clothing and times, although there are various Act this summer was the introduc- District Ranger Karen Schroyer (And yes, we’ll say it before you piles of you-know-what. Rangers ways to implement it. tion of an actual new wilderness bill says she wants to launch a commu- do: throwing a big Maroon Bells have attempted to enforce the rules While Schroyer says she’ll “abso- for lands in our region. nity discussion this winter to figure Birthday Bash this summer no doubt on summer weekends, but wilder- lutely” consider a permit system, she On Aug. 24, Rep. Jared Polis out how to reduce impacts to the fed into this trend. But as Ed Ab- ness character still suffers under the won’t make any decision unilater- announced his Rocky Mountain most heavily used spots: Conun- bey said, wilderness needs more weight of sheer numbers. ally. Hence this winter’s community Recreation and Wilderness Act in drum, Crater Lake, Snowmass Lake defenders, and sometimes it takes a WW has been providing the For- process to find out what kind of downtown Breckenridge. and the Four Pass Loop. party to recruit the next generation est Service with defensible data on management changes people would Building off of years of work We at the Wilderness Workshop of defenders.) impacts over the years, and we’ve be comfortable with. by local citizens and businesses, will be partnering with the Forest Fortunately, wilderness areas are been seeing the same trends. More “Everyone, I think, has the sense the bill proposes to designate over Service to convene this community held to high standards. The Wilder- people are making shorter excur- of, ‘There’s a problem and we need 40,000 acres of new wilderness and Will Roush dialog and build consensus around ness Act states that they must be sions into wilderness, concentrating to do something about it,’” she says. provide lesser protection to an- Rep. Jared Polis announced the introduction of his Rocky the best solutions. We encourage managed to maintain their “wilder- their impacts along the most popular “What we don’t want to do is get out other 20,000 acres. That’s less than Mountain Recreation and Wilderness Act at a ceremony in our members to get involved in find- ness character” and “outstanding routes. ahead of it and say what we think is half the acreage contained in the Breckenridge. ing the best path forward. opportunities for solitude.” In recent the perfect solution.” previous version of the bill, due to Time for a permit system? years, federal land managers have Schroyer will kick off the conver- Congressional redistricting: western throughout the area. High standards Visitors and land managers agree: begun to develop standardized ways sation with a Naturalist Nights pre- Eagle County has moved from Polis’s We’ll ask Rep. Polis to reintro- It wasn’t so many years ago something’s got to change. The For- of monitoring these characteris- sentation on Feb. 4 in Carbondale 2nd District to Rep. Scott Tipton’s duce the bill as soon as possible in that Conundrum Hot Springs was est Service document that guides the tics – WW’s Dave Richie has been and Feb. 5 in Aspen (see page 5). 3rd District, and with it some large the new Congress. a locals’ secret and the Four Pass management of the Maroon Bells- instrumental in this effort – but by Whatever solution emerges, it’ll proposed wilderness areas. This bill is a crucial step forward Loop was a trail less traveled. Now, Snowmass Wilderness is nearly 30 any measure, some of our local wil- take at least a couple of years to put Still, the bill would establish sev- in the work to protect the Central it into operation. The Forest Service eral new wilderness areas – includ- Mountains of Colorado. Rep. Polis’s will probably conduct an Environ- ing Spraddle Creek (immediately effort is supported by a broad mental Assessment on the proposed north of Vail), Tenmile and Hoosier coalition of local business owners, here, kitty kitty action, and then run a separate inter- Ridge (south of Breckenridge), and mountain bikers, water providers, nal process to iron out implementa- Williams Fork (north of Silverthorne) town and county governments and tion details. – and would add acreage to the citizens. Adding new wilderness and or over five years, biologists from Rocky Mountain Wild We’re blessed to have world- existing Holy Cross, Eagles Nest recreation management areas to the have been monitoring wildlife movements in the I-70 cor- F renowned places like Conundrum and Ptarmigan Peak wildernesses. existing protected lands in Colorado ridor around East Vail Pass, where a wildlife-only overpass is and the Maroon Bells in our back- Plus, it would create a new Porcu- will help ensure local economies proposed. Their motion-sensor wildlife cameras have “captured” yard, and doubly blessed that they’re pine Gulch Protection Area and a remain vibrant, provide clean water all sorts of animals, and in October they photographed their protected as wilderness. A few Recreation Management Area in and safeguard wild places for future first Canada lynx on the south side of the highway near Stafford tweaks to their management, and the Tenmile Range, conserving the generations. Creek. Knowing where these rare and threatened animals are their continued wilderness character naturalness of the land while main- trying to cross the highway will be very helpful in the eventual should be assured. taining vehicular access on roads process of building the wildlife bridge. and mountain-biking opportunities Denver Zoo and Rocky Mountain Wild

10 Wild Works | JUNE 2012 11 10 Wild Works | Winter 2014 WinterJUNE 20122014 | Wild Works 11 THE ART OF WILDERNESS BROADENING OUR BASE

ur Artist in Wilderness pro- started with the idea that creative by the surrounding landscape, con- ou’ve heard what they say on environment doesn’t happen to be people who completed our online Ogram had something of a people might bring unexpected new tain richly diverse textures achieved Ythe public-radio pledge drives: their top priority. survey, thank you. If you participated coming-out party in August, with a perspectives on our wildlands, and by dynamically layering, scrap- only about 10 percent of listeners Seeing this as an opportunity in one of the focus-group sessions special art-themed gathering of the that their creations could engage a ing, spraying and splashing paint. are actually members. The rest just to broaden our base, we’ve con- or “key informant” interviews, many Maroon Bells Circle (WW’s national new circle of wilderness supporters. She has exhibited in juried and listen. tracted with JVA Consulting to help thanks. council) at the Sopris Mountain The response to “The Art of Wilder- invitational shows at the Aspen Art It’s kind of like that with wilder- us understand the public’s current Above all, we’re grateful to Rob Ranch home of Sally Sakin. ness. Most people around here perceptions of WW and to find ways Pew and Susan Taylor for generously “The Art of Wilderness” featured care about wildlife and forests and to reach beyond the environmen- funding this process. the first screening of a new Artist in WW’s artist residency program is engaging a healthy streams, and love to spend tal “choir” to better communicate JVA is now compiling the data Auction donors Wilderness video by local filmmaker time in the backcountry – it’s why with this silent majority of potential and will present us with a set of stra- Krysia Carter-Giez, a silent auction whole new circle of wilderness supporters. they live here – but only a fraction supporters. All this year, JVA has tegic recommendations before the of works donated by past Artist in get actively involved in protecting it. been guiding us through a process end of the year. Expect to see WW Wilderness residents, and a fun live Many don’t even know it needs pro- of internal reflection, research and engaging the public in bolder, more auction of pieces donated by well- ness” was a resounding confirmation Museum, the Civic Arts Gallery in tecting, or don’t know how to help, analysis. accessible ways starting in 2015. known area artists Dick Carter, Sara of that idea. Walnut Creek, Calif., and the Boston because they lead busy lives and the If you were among the 1,000-plus Ransford, Tania Dibbs Kudos to WW board member Architectural Center. and James Surls. Mary Dominick, who has labored “I should have quit years ago, but Not only was a good for the past five years to develop the that would have proved so many the end of an era time had by all, but Artist in Wilderness program and to people right,” jokes Steven Walker. follow us on... the evening proved to curate the collection of art that was Raised in South Carolina and Virgin- ocial media are becoming an send it our way and we’ll put it up fter 11 years with WW, communications and be a wildly successful sold at the event. ia and now living in Ohio, he began Sincreasingly important part of the on our site. Adevelopment director Dave Reed is moving fundraiser. Art purchases We hope to present a public pre- his career as a freelance illustrator Wilderness Workshop’s advocacy, On Twitter, we’re live-tweeting on to become director of the Western Colorado and donations topped miere of Krysia’s video early in the and broke into fine art the hard way, organizing and education work. from events and posting breaking Congress in Grand Junction. $70,000, and when you new year. Meanwhile, Mary and her starting with small shows at coffee We’ve been on Facebook for a news and just-released studies from When he was hired as the Wilderness Work- add the amount that jury have selected four terrific artists shops and libraries to eventually few years now, but it’s only been throughout the environmental move- shop’s second paid staffer, Dave, a former journal- qualified to be matched for our 2015 residencies. become a highly collected artist. in the past year that we’ve hit our ment. It’s a great way to stay up to ist, quickly realized that WW had an incredible by an anonymous donor Joellyen Duesberry is a Denver- He has been included in several stride. Be sure to like our page, if the minute on public-lands issues story to tell, and started telling it through warm (see back page), the based landscape painter who works regional and national juried compe- you haven’t already, to get our posts locally and around the country. and engaging literature, online communications event brought in a total in oils. She has painted all over the titions, and is represented by various about upcoming events, campaign Stay tuned for announcements and popular events. It was a winning strategy. of $117,00 for WW. world, but her main areas of focus galleries in the East. updates, and interesting photos, vid- about our Winter Wilderness Adven- Membership soared, more funders came on board, Thank you, Maroon Bells are the northeastern and western Although still in her twenties and eos and items from around the web. ture Instagram Challenge, suggested and we were able to hire more fabulous staff and Circle members! United States. Her work has been with a newly minted MFA, Michelle Recently we’ve added Instragram by our newest (and youngest) board grow into the conservation powerhouse that you The Artist in Wilder- the subject of 50 solo gallery shows Podgorski has already been featured and Twitter to our social media member, Lindsay Gurley. now see before you. ness program offers up and four museum surveys, including in several group shows and has il- channels, and we encourage you to While it takes an amazing team to get this much to four residencies each a 2011 retrospective at the Colorado lustrated three children’s books. Her follow us on those, too. work done, we owe Dave a tremendous debt year to allow artists to Springs Fine Arts Center that resulted watercolors focus on the strength Instagram is a natural for a con- of gratitude for all his hard work and sacrifices make works inspired in the book Elevated Perspective: the and resilience of nature, especially servation organization like WW. We he’s made over the years to WW. We’ll miss him by the lands that WW Paintings of Joellyn Duesberry. that of the trees along the river that post gorgeous photos of the lands mightily, but our loss is WCC’s gain, and we wish is working to protect. It A clinical psychologist by day, flows near her North Carolina home, we’re working to protect, which of him equal or greater success at his new position. Roaring Fork Valley local Ellen and use extensive negative space to course we hope will inspire you to We look forward to continuing to work with Dave Steven Walker and Ellen Woods have been selected as 2015 Woods is also an accomplished imply the erasure of landscape by protect them too. And if you have an in his new role at WCC, a sister organization do- Artists in Wilderness. abstract painter. Her pieces, inspired man. image from a recent local adventure, ing vital conservation work in far western CO.

12 Wild Works | JUNE 2012 13 12 Wild Works | Winter 2014 WinterJUNE 20122014 | Wild Works 13 DONOR HALL OF FAME

Foundation James Surls Mark Fox, in memory of Dottie $50-99 Up to $49 Fox The Wilderness Workshop wishes to thank the follow- Jeremy and Angela Foster Zac Weinberg/The Angora Ridge Aspen Deconstruction Sierra Aldrich* Foundation Adam and Katy Frisch* P.O. Box 1442 Joanne and Tony Guerrerio Liz and John Bokram Anne Anderson* ing generous people who have made donations since Carbondale, CO 81623 William H. & Mattie Wattis Victoria’s Espresso Dorothy Frommer the previous newsletter. New members are indicated Katey Buster Steve Anthony Offices in the Third Street Center, Harris Foundation Jay and Patti Webster Kathy and Bill Hegberg* Helen Carlsen Robert and Diana Blaschak 520 S. 3rd St., Carbondale by an asterisk (*). Mark Harvey Paula Zurcher Gail and Phil Holstein Ned and Jan Cochran David and Janet Boyle Tel (970) 963-3977 Juliane Heyman Houses for Higher Education*, in $250-499 Richard Compton Nancy Caponi www.wildernessworkshop.org Henry and Angela Hite honor of Tim McFlynn [email protected] Aron Ralston Susan and George Fesus Karen Degerberg and Andy Jane Click $25,000+ Henry Lord Janis and George Huggins John Fielder Sandler Kate Cocchiarella The Wilderness Workshop’s mis- Charlie Hopton, in memory of Kate and Chris Roberts Bob and Eilene Ish Maki Foundation David Eberhardt sion is to protect and conserve the Heather Hopton and Dottie Isa and Daniel Shaw/Catto Lynn and Judy Hancock Debra Connolly* Ann Nichols Rob Ittner wilderness and natural resources Fox, and in honor of Connie Charitable Foundation Michal Brimm Eleanor Finlay* Susy Ellison and Marty Schlein Norcross Wildlife Foundation Ann and Sam Johnson of the Roaring Fork Watershed, the Harvey and Joy Caudill Louise Petosa and Pierre Follari* Annie Flynn Pam Gross* $2,000-4,999 Carol Racine Leslie and Patrick Johnson, in White River National Forest, and New-Land Foundation Bob Adams Anne and Phil Freedman Sarah Gruen* memory of Randy Udall Alpine Bank Sally Sakin adjacent lands. Annie Cooke Jon Gibans Kay Hannah $10,000-24,999 Mark and Maryanne Keating* Tom and Currie Barron Polly and Jim Shoemaker, in Philip and Lynn Eastley Liberty Godshall* Peter Hart Board of Directors Anonymous (2) Richard Carter honor of Sloan Shoemaker Scottie Leddy and Tom Cooper Michael Hassig and Olivia Emery Pat Hogan Adele Hause Karin Teague, Aspen Skiing Company Beth Cashdan and Paul D’Amato Katie and Hank Van Schaack Patricia Maddalone Charles and Linda Ho Mark Howard* Sarah Johnson President Environment Foundation Laurence Cohen Main Street Gallery and the Peter and Dawn Barton Welles* Kate Hudson Michael McVoy, Jimmy Ibbotson Andrew McGregor Framer, Ltd. Kenneth Jones Christin Cooper and Mark Tache Jill White* Mary Jo Kimbrough and Jim Vice President Cynthia and George Mitchell Maggie Pedersen and Bob Mike and Valerie Miller Diane Kenney and John Tania Dibbs Andy Wiessner and Patsy Harrison Millette McCormick Peter Van Domelen, Foundation David Mork Mary Dominick and Sven Batchelder Richard Klein* Stephen Pfeiffer Michael Kinsley Treasurer Wick Moses* $5,000-9,999 Coomer Jack and Bonnie Wilke Pamela Kling and Michael Rausch Casey Sheahan Denise Lock Cici Fox, Laurie and Jim Noyes, in memory Marcia Corbin Sue Edelstein and Bill Spence Paul and Jodi Lamiroult* Secretary $1,000-1,999 Beth Shoemaker of William W. Biddle Keith Minick* Maggie DeWolf/Nick DeWolf Emma Coulter Ware Foundation Chris Loose* Carol W. Duell Steve Smith and Heather Jennifer Moore* Beth Cashdan Foundation Marty and Sarah Flug/Margulf Lynda Palevsky Jill Soffer McGregor Judy and Amory Lovins Mary Dominick Susan Philp and Lance Clarke Lee Mulcahy* Diane Madigan* Sue Edelstein Charlie and Carol Herder* Bill Stirling Tehri Parker* Irma Prodinger Charles Hopton Gorsuch, Ltd. Roberta Stokes Joanie Matranga Missy and Steve Prudden Doc Philip Peter Looram Jane and Dick Hart Elissa Topol and Lee Osterman Anna Naeser and Gerald Glenn Randall Ralph Pretti* John McBride, Jr. Art Auction Terwilliger Connie Harvey Town of Basalt Lee Rimel John Real Tim McFlynn Elizabeth Penfield Katie Kitchen and Paul Kovach Craig and Becky Ward Aron Ralston Marilee Rocca Rachel Richards purchasers Glenn Rappaport James and Hensley Peterson Susan Welsch Mike Stranahan Greg and Patti Rulon Polly Ross Ty and Terry Reed Sara Ransford Marilyn Wilmerding Andy Wiessner The following people helped make our “Art of Wilderness” Cynthia and Andrew Russell* Joanne and Richard Rubinoff Pauline Reetz*, in honor of event a great success through their purchases of works in Reese Henry & Co. Anita Schwartz* $100-249 Carolyn and Dick Shohet Joy Caudill Founders Ford and Susan Schumann Cam Scott the silent and live auctions: Karen Beard Roger and Elizabeth Shugart Renata Scheder-Bieschin Joy Caudill Ruth Sears* Dottie Fox $500-999 Lee Beck and John Stickney Kim Stacey and John Hoffman Tim and Max Schlumberger Tom and Currie Barron Peter Hart Debi Shirey* Connie Harvey Aspen Club Lodge Properies Kathy and Andrew Berkman Sandy and Stephen Stay Randy Gold and Dawn Shepard Kathy and Andrew Berkman Charlie and Carol Herder Carlie Siemel Bruce Berger Dan and Pam Budman Leelee and Bill Stege Gordon Silver* Staff Michal Brimm and Michael Judy and Amory Lovins Jonathan Staufer and Wendi John and Chuckie Chung Noni Butterfly Hal Sundin Pat Spitzmiller Sloan Shoemaker, McVoy Rob Pew and Susan Taylor LoSasso Beth Fergus/Robert H Fergus Judy Byrns and Joe Bergquist Thrift Shop of Aspen Gary Tennenbaum Executive Director Laurence Cohen Aron Ralston Philip Straffin Foundation Ellen Citron* Tom and Roz Turnbull Mary Dominick and Sven Dr. Diana Tomback Melanie Finan Kate and Chris Roberts Harry Teaugue Architects Ned Sullivan* Coomer Janet Coursey Linda Vidal Chris Tonazi* Peter Hart Jill Soffer Sandy Jackson Aaron Taylor Dave Reed Karen Degerberg and Andy Jeff and Priscilla Dickinson Dr. Richard and Gayle Wells Gerry Vanderbeek Pat Spitzmiller Marcella Larsen Lee Wilson Will Roush Sandler Stacy Everson* Andre and Julie Wille Marion, Jean and Hayden Winkler Peter and Robin Van Domelen Rob Pew and Susan Taylor Robert Zupancis Joanne and Tony Guerrio Connie and Ted Finan Pam and Robbie Zentmyer Jackie Wogan Peter and Dawn Barton Welles Jane and Dick Hart Paul and Laurie Sturz* Cici Fox, in memory of Dottie Fox

14 Wild Works | JUNE 2012 15 14 Wild Works | Winter 2014 WinterJUNE 20122014 | Wild Works 15 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NUMBER 62 CARBONDALE, CO P.O. BOX 1442 81623 CARBONDALE, CO 81623 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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Please remember WW in your yearend giving

Thank you for your past support of the Wilderness Workshop. You’ll soon receive our annual fundraising appeal, and we hope you’ll again consider making a special yearend gift to WW. There’s an extra reason to give this year: an anony- mous donor will match all “new money” that we raise through Dec. 31, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. That means that whatever you give in excess of last year will be doubled. It’s always a good thing to support your local non- profit conservation group, if you can; your support now will achieve twice the impact. Thank you!