Daily Wilderness News Clips

Republican Sen. Gordon Smith on Thursday endorsed a Democratic plan to create federal wilderness protection for nearly 14,000 acres of national forest land along Oregon's southern coast.

The Copper Salmon Wilderness proposed by Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Peter DeFazio would protect 13,700 acres of coastal forest and salmon streams at the headwaters of the Elk River near Port Orford.

The Democratic lawmakers said the bill would prevent logging, mining and road building in the designated area, but allow hunting and fishing to continue.

Making the 30,000-acre Badlands east of Bend a federally protected wilderness area could help propel Central Oregon's economic growth, according to a report released Thursday by the Oregon Natural Desert Association.

The report was produced by Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit land management group from Bozeman, Mont., whose mission is to improve community development and land management decisions in the West, according to its Web site. ONDA and a local steering committee assisted with the report.

Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) today announced his support of legislation designating the 13,700 acre Copper Salmon area of Southwest Oregon as wilderness.

"Wilderness is not a designation I take lightly, nor is it something that I categorically oppose," Smith said at a hearing today of the Forest and Public Lands Subcommittee. "The Copper Salmon proposal has a tremendous level of support from local elected officials, sportsmen and conservationists."

As the weather cools, many Wisconsin residents and outdoor enthusiasts will have one thing on their mind: the hunting season. Fall marks the beginning of many hunting and trapping seasons in the state including white-tailed deer and wild fowl like Canadian geese and ruffled grouse.

Although we embrace public par­ticipation as part of the democratic ideals, sometimes even that system can get muffled by special interest groups. There has been a lot of heart­felt commitment for the protection of the Organ Mountains and other special natural areas as wilderness. We need to use that as our indicator of where the real public sentiment lies.

At the beginning of this summer I was stressed out by my life's activities --"losing it" mentally and 40 pounds overweight.

I knew there was a solution. I started going on two and three-day backpacking trips in the Seneca Creek Backcountry.

I set up my simple camp and marvel that I, a retired senior citizen with artificial knees, have the privilege of being out in the middle of nature when I choose. I am also thankful that I have such opportunities close to home.

The Badlands east of bend are 30,000 acres of BLM land.  Since 1992, it's been deemed a "wilderness study area," and will remain that way until (and unless) the federal government gives it a permanent wilderness title.

 However, some want it protected from Bend's growth, and they want it done now.

A mountain wilderness given to Texas in 1991 and now put up for sale to a chorus of boos by conservationists was taken off the auction block on Tuesday in Austin, Tex., because of what the Texas General Land Office said was a mistake in the property map.

Christmas Mountains land was given to Texas in 1991.

But officials were quick to say that the tract, 9,270 acres of the Christmas Mountains Ranch bordering Big Bend National Park and deeded as forever wild, would be up for sale again at the next meeting of the School Land Board in November.

BILLINGS, Mont.- Oil and gas drilling on federal lands across the Rocky Mountain West could increase by more than 160 percent over the next two decades due in part to pro-industry regulations enacted by the Bush administration, according to a report by an environmental group.

Church expresses refreshing voice in debate