'President Moves to Protect Wilderness'
October 18, 2006
Daily Democrat
In an era when the question often times is "To develop, or not to develop," many proponents of land preservation are left behind for the prospect of multi-use lofts and dollars for developers. However, a new bill will help protect hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness land, leaving many conservationists who worked hard to protect land with a taste of triumph. Tuesday, President George Bush signed the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act, designating 273,000 acres of Northern California as wilderness in perpetuity. The bill, authored by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, also designates 21 miles of Scenic River and approximately 51,000 acres as a Recreation Management Area for off-highway vehicles and mountain bikes. According to language in the bill, once an area is declared as wilderness, it should not be susceptible to any "changes in interpretation of rules" regarding roads, motorized vehicles, logging, mining or other ways in which the pristine character of the area would be disturbed. One of the areas included in the bill is the 27,000-acre Cache Creek Wilderness destined to become the "crown jewel" of the Bureau of Land Management wilderness system, Thomson said. "Today marks the largest addition of wilderness to California in more than a decade," he said Tuesday. "After more than five years of hard work and tremendous support from hundreds of environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts, businesses and government officials, this beautiful and unique land has received the highest protection the law allows." In an effort led by Thompson and senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, the U.S. House and Senate passed the Northern California wilderness designation by unanimous votes this past summer. The president's signature today marks the final step in making the wilderness and recreation area designations permanent. "The work put into this wilderness designation is an example of how good policy is made," said Thompson. "Senators Feinstein and Boxer and I worked with dozens of groups with diverse interests who came together with the single goal of ensuring Northern California's wild places are preserved for generations. I share today's achievement with all who helped to make this victory for wilderness possible." Thompson said the wilderness bill marks a definite victory, not just for legislators. "America's wilderness represents the things we love about being American - our free spirit, our sense of adventure and our passion for exploring the unknown," said Thompson. "This designation marks a tremendous victory for conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts and all Americans who care for the outdoors." "Wilderness designation is the strongest form of land protection in the United States and it permanently protects homes for so many plants and animals including bald eagles, tule elk, mountain lion, and river otters," stated Bob Schneider of Tuleyome in Woodland, which fought for the legislation. "Much of who we are as American's comes from our relationship with wilderness." The bill designates existing public lands in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties as wilderness and designates the Black Butte River in Mendocino County as a wild and scenic river. In addition, it designates a Recreation Management Area in Mendocino and Lake counties for off-highway vehicles and mountain bikes.
In an era when the question often times is "To develop, or not to develop," many proponents of land preservation are left behind for the prospect of multi-use lofts and dollars for developers. However, a new bill will help protect hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness land, leaving many conservationists who worked hard to protect land with a taste of triumph. Tuesday, President George Bush signed the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act, designating 273,000 acres of Northern California as wilderness in perpetuity. The bill, authored by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, also designates 21 miles of Scenic River and approximately 51,000 acres as a Recreation Management Area for off-highway vehicles and mountain bikes. According to language in the bill, once an area is declared as wilderness, it should not be susceptible to any "changes in interpretation of rules" regarding roads, motorized vehicles, logging, mining or other ways in which the pristine character of the area would be disturbed. One of the areas included in the bill is the 27,000-acre Cache Creek Wilderness destined to become the "crown jewel" of the Bureau of Land Management wilderness system, Thomson said. "Today marks the largest addition of wilderness to California in more than a decade," he said Tuesday. "After more than five years of hard work and tremendous support from hundreds of environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts, businesses and government officials, this beautiful and unique land has received the highest protection the law allows." In an effort led by Thompson and senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, the U.S. House and Senate passed the Northern California wilderness designation by unanimous votes this past summer. The president's signature today marks the final step in making the wilderness and recreation area designations permanent. "The work put into this wilderness designation is an example of how good policy is made," said Thompson. "Senators Feinstein and Boxer and I worked with dozens of groups with diverse interests who came together with the single goal of ensuring Northern California's wild places are preserved for generations. I share today's achievement with all who helped to make this victory for wilderness possible." Thompson said the wilderness bill marks a definite victory, not just for legislators. "America's wilderness represents the things we love about being American - our free spirit, our sense of adventure and our passion for exploring the unknown," said Thompson. "This designation marks a tremendous victory for conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts and all Americans who care for the outdoors." "Wilderness designation is the strongest form of land protection in the United States and it permanently protects homes for so many plants and animals including bald eagles, tule elk, mountain lion, and river otters," stated Bob Schneider of Tuleyome in Woodland, which fought for the legislation. "Much of who we are as American's comes from our relationship with wilderness." The bill designates existing public lands in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties as wilderness and designates the Black Butte River in Mendocino County as a wild and scenic river. In addition, it designates a Recreation Management Area in Mendocino and Lake counties for off-highway vehicles and mountain bikes.
Issues:Energy & Environment