BROADSIDES VOLUME 24 | NO. 3 | FALL 2014 Fifty Years of Wilderness: BIDDERS WANTED! The Thrill of Success, The Agony of Defeat by Rose Chilcoat Those of us who it was a time to live in small reflect on how well towns and cities democracy could surrounded work. WildWild forfor by spectacular The Wilderness and diverse WildernessWilderness Act of 1964 is a public lands— shining example Online forests, deserts, Online of democracy. grasslands, Auction Howard Zahniser, Auction seashores— then president of the sometimes Wilderness Society, November 3–16th forget the day- penned 66 drafts of to-day reality the bill over nine most Americans Gear, years and attended experience: a life 18 public hearings. that does not Goodies, Details were debated, include thoughts Mardy Murie (left) and Alice Zahniser (right) stand before President Lyndon B. Johnson at the signing of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Both negotiated, clarified, of wilderness, Getaways women were there representing their husbands, Olaus Murie and and trade-offs made wildlife, and Howard Zahniser, who did not live to see the act become law. (this is why permitted the threats our livestock grazing is Galore! nation’s wild heritage face. Shelley and I just specifically authorized in Wilderness). Some spent four days in Washington, D.C.—the stew Score some great of the Act’s principle champions, Zahniser and of humanity and politics that is our nation’s Olaus Murie, did not live to see it become law. capital; where the pace is frenetic, the built items and help But ultimately, this signature piece of legislation environment dominates, and our elected support Broads passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. officials are positioned to do the hard work of America finally had a goal to preserve “an education, advocacy, crafting legislation to fulfill the vision of our enduring resource of wilderness” in perpetuity. forefathers, coupled with the real demands of and stewardship. the 21st century. Can you imagine a bill like this passing the House of Representatives today, much less with The frame for this trip was the 50th Anniversary only one dissenting vote?! of the Wilderness Act and Wilderness Week. It IN THIS ISSUE... was a time for a well-deserved celebration, a Getting wilderness protected has never been for Gallatin Wilderness time to come together with fellow wilderness the faint of heart. Who knew that wilderness Broadwalk .................3 advocates, see old friends, make new allies, meet lovers must become political beasts and with agency wilderness staff and Congressional lobbyists in order to achieve their dreams? In Study A Broad: champions, and embrace new ideas we can the early days, average citizens came together Alice Zahniser ...........4 employ in our work (Twitter anyone?)—and, (continued page 14) Broader WILD FACTOIDS Wilderness ................6 Only about 5% of the entire United There are currently 758 There are more than 34 Sew & Sews for States is protected as wilderness. wilderness areas in the wilderness and related bills Wilderness ................8 More than half is in Alaska, leaving National Wilderness in the 113th Congress. The 2.7 % of the contiguous United Preservation System likelihood of any of them Broads Beat ............ 10 States protected as wilderness (an protecting 109,511,038 becoming law this Congress Broadbands area about the size of Minnesota). acres. is slim. in Action ...................12 A M E S S A GE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHELLEY SILBERT rony of ironies—I’m flying reverberate across the home from Wilderness Week nation. The Committee in D.C. (see cover story) on voted the next day, a jet sporting two cuddling 22-18, for this new I Great Old Broads polar bears on its wing tips and bastardized version tail. Meanwhile, my 23-year-old of the Act. It appears for Wilderness son travels by bus to New York the House Committee PO Box 2924 to participate in the People’s is testing the waters Durango, CO 81302 Climate March, sporting a Great to see how much they 970-385-9577 Old Broads for Wilderness button. can get away with in [email protected] Something feels diluting wilderness greatoldbroads.org upside down, and protections. perhaps that’s fitting STAFF When Republican for a week when a Shelley Silbert, In Rep. Scott Executive Director burst of movement in Tipton joined Congress turns out Rose Chilcoat, Associate Director Democratic Sen. to be a dangerous a Susan Kearns, Michael Bennet Communications Director hiccup. BROAD in sponsoring Ellen Stein, Broadband & When we first the Hermosa Membership Coordinator begin our lobbying Creek bill, with Joyce Thomsen, Membership Maven meetings, the Sense Democratic Sen. Colorado wilderness Mark Udall as Amy Johnston, Office Manager delegation is Turbulent Times for co-sponsor, it felt Shelley Spalding, Broadband buoyed by the news as though all the Circuit Rider that the Hermosa Wilderness and right ingredients Samantha Brow, Creek Watershed were in place for Auction Coordinator Protection Act, a Our Fragile Earth it to sail through BOARD OF DIRECTORS bill with broad Congress, right? Diana Allison, UT - Chair bipartisan support to protect 108,000 acres No such luck in the 113th Congress, unless a Karen Ryman, CO - Vice Chair of forests and streams north of Durango, small miracle is to occur. Cristina Harmon, CO - Treasurer Caroline Munger, CO - Secretary Colorado, is scheduled for a hearing in the I hiked into Hermosa Creek a week before Saralaine Millet, AZ House Committee on Natural Resources. our D.C. expedition, savoring the scent of Suez Jacobson, CO We are excited to thank our Republican and butterscotch in the fissured yellow bark of giant ADVISORY BOARD Democratic legislators for recognizing 6 years ponderosa pines. Twice I heard crashing of Steve Allen, Joe Breddan, of work by diverse citizens to carefully craft branches and ripping of logs nearby, aware of Karen Cox, Dave Foreman, a bill that earns community consensus. The hyperphagic black bears intently preparing for Maggie Fox, Fred Goodsell, details that come later that day slam us out Ginger Harmon, Margi Hoffmann, a long hibernation. A few miles later, a snap of of our euphoria. A substitute amendment, Vicky Hoover, Fran Hunt, Cecelia branches drew my eyes uphill to see a healthy created in secret, had just been submitted Hurwich, Frandee Johnson, Matt bear trotting steadily, some 50 yards from me, for the hearing. This amendment replaced Kenna, Linda Liscom, Chuck towards a point where its path and mine would McAfee, MB McAfee, Liz McCoy, the community-supported language, intersect. I stopped and banged two rocks Sarah Michael, Erin Moore, yanked specific watershed protections, and Marcey Olajos, Tim Peterson, set impossibly bad precedents that could (continued page 15) Lynn Prebble, Marilyn Price-Reinbolt, Cindy Shogan, Liz Thomas, CHECK THEIR GRADES! VOTE THE ENVIRONMENT! Susan Tixier Great Old Broads for Wilderness is League of Conservation Voters National Environmental a national non-profit organization Scorecards provide annual and lifetime scores of Congressional that engages and ignites the activism representatives on twelve issue categories such as land/forests, of elders to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands. Conceived water, wildlife, drilling, climate change, etc. See http://scorecard. by older women who love wilderness, lcv.org/. See also the LCV Dirty Dozen at http://www.lcv.org/ Broads gives voice to the millions of elections/dirty-dozen/. older Americans who want their public lands protected as Wilderness for Many state conservation organizations release a state this and future generations. We bring voice, knowledge, commitment, and legislative scorecard. Google your state name and humor to the movement to protect “conservation scorecard”. For example, wcvoters.org/ our last wild places on earth. scorecard/2014 (Washington state), valcv.org/ (Virginia), or Please credit Broads for any reprinted michiganlcv.org/track-how-elected-officials-vote/scorecard articles. (Michigan). 2 greatoldbroads.org Gallatin Wilderness Broadwalk by Suez Jacobson That evening, after showers, we enjoyed Saturday was for hiking! We split into happy hour and an informative group three groups so everyone could find discussion with Mary Erickson, Gallatin their own level of recreation. The group National Forest Supervisor. Following choosing to hike to Windy Pass with dinner, Barb Cestero, Montana Director local conservationist Shari Sutherland of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, found both challenge and beauty. The explained the important values of the wildflowers were stunning, but not as Suez leans into wildflowers and wilderness. Gallatin Range and her staff’s efforts to striking as watching a 60-foot tree burst gain protection for the Hyalite-Porcupine- into flames about 500 yards from the nyone who has been on a Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area pass! Some of us (well, maybe I was the Broadwalk knows there is (HPBH WSA). Patti Steinmuller, only one) panicked, and I called 911. But way too little space here Montana Wilderness Association more educated heads prevailed. Given Ato recount all the joys of board member, learning and doing that Broads pack told us about the into their long weekends. But, here are Gallatin Community some highlights from my experience of Collaborative’s efforts the 4-day Montana Broadwalk in mid- to bring together August, based at the Yellowstone Alliance diverse stakeholders Adventures camp just south of Bozeman. to discuss desires Thursday, our first night, the power and seek agreement of nature made real in a torrential rain for the future of the could not compete with the power of Gallatin. This has two voices for wilderness who shared been a contentious their stories under a much-appreciated effort, requiring the metal roof. Activist Joe Gutkoski of group to work with Montanans for Gallatin Wilderness, an a facilitator. One inspiring 89 years young, has worked very tough issue is for wilderness for many decades and how to address the Broads reveling in the wild beauty of Windy Pass on the Gallatin Crest.