We are seeing a glimmer of light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that has been governmental environmental policy for the past decade or so. In its last days, the 109th Congress designated new wilderness in New England and northern California, as well as passed the Valle Vidal Protection Act in New Mexico. The 110th Congress has already clearly positioned itself to consider new wilderness and other public lands protection bills, along with some sweeping policy oversight. In just a couple short months, the House passed a bill repealing tax breaks for oil corporations, and there are new incentives being considered for alternative energy.

Designated wilderness provides Americans not only with opportunities for adventure and solitude, beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife; wilderness also provides us with vital ecosystem services. Ecosystem services provided by intact, healthy wildlands include clean air and water, flood control, pollination of plants, mitigation of environmental hazards, carbon sequestration, and, of course, aesthetic, recreational and spiritual opportunities. Although it is widely recognized that humanity depends critically upon earth’s bounty for our existence and material well-being, many of these benefits are intangibles which do not have a specific market value and, consequently, are often exploited and degraded with impunity.

The current Administration’s trends toward public lands management is extracting every last drop of petroleum resources such as fresh water and forest products, while weakening protections for clean air and water, healthy soils and biodiversity. As the human population continues to grow, and our fundamental reliance upon natural resources (including food production) continues unabated, it becomes increasingly important that we incorporate the value of ecosystem services into conservation and land-use planning.

While there have been several wilderness and wildland protection measures passed since the election, there are many more awaiting legislative action that will be extremely important for the health of our environment. We will all support the good wilderness legislation that is introduced in the next two years, but we must also be keenly aware of the many other fronts on which the health of our planet will be decided. Healthy wilderness areas, now less than 5% of the United States, must not be allowed to be the only remaining islands of healthy, undeveloped land left—island oases in a sea of trampled, denuded, road-scarred desolation. We must seize the moment to demand meaningful action from our government to address global warming and other environmental degradations. Mass transportation, more fuel efficient vehicles, consuming locally produced food and goods, and protecting our remaining wetlands, old growth forests and oceans are all top priorities now. Of course, we can all make our own personal commitments regarding lifestyle; smaller cars and homes, recycling, switching light bulbs, etc., but until government and industry get serious about these issues, we’ll see limited progress.

The magnitude of the environmental issues we face was brought home to me last week as I drove into the San Juan River Valley in the Four Corners area. I have hiked and boated in this magnificent country for well over 30 years, and one of its most impressive features has always been the limitless vistas. When I first started prowling this desert landscape, I could almost literally see forever. Over those same 30 years, a number of large coal-fired power plants have been constructed around the Four Corners, with more being proposed. On this particular morning, the valley was filled with what appeared to be a thick fog, which is not unusual near desert watercourses in the winter. When I drove to higher ground, though, I found that the “fog,” which had a distinctly brownish tinge, nearly blotted out all distant views. Yes, this remote, sparsely populated corner of Utah was swathed in a blanket of good old-fashioned smog. This degraded air quality is becoming the norm in many of our national parks and monuments, destroying one of the qualities for which these places were protected. If we can’t even keep the air clean in these remote places, I shudder to think of how the rest of the nation and planet are faring.

I know that we’re all pretty “wrung out” following last year’s political battles, but we have a whole new cast of characters in Washington and in our state capitols who need to be informed and educated about the issues, who need to know that their pro-earth decisions will be supported by an engaged and informed public. We, the people, who voted overwhelmingly for change, have an opportunity right now to shape the future of environmental policy, and it is incumbent upon us to keep up the pressure on our leaders to do the right thing.

Alarmingly, the President has just signed an Executive Order (Jan. 24, 2007) that gives the Executive Branch power to control regulatory agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, which must now submit any new regulations to the White House for approval. Also recently re-introduced by the White House is another bad piece of public lands policy: the sale of our public lands to fund federal programs. This misguided idea was proposed last year by the Bush Administration, only to be shot down by loud public outcry and bipartisan Congressional opposition. The idea is back again this year, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, proposing to sell off $800 million worth of our national forests to fund rural school systems impacted by reductions in royalties paid by extractive industries. Having lost control of Congress, the President is now striving to control government by other means. We still have at least two years of hard work ahead. Great Old Broads, along with hundreds of other local and national organizations, are continuing to build the kind of grassroots power that will be heard in the halls of Congress and corporations, hammering on the message that it is time to get serious about cleaning up our collective human act.

As David Korten, author of When Corporations Ruled the World and The Great Turning has said, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” So, let’s roll our sleeves back up, take a deep breath and jump back into the fray!

THANK YOU!

Great Old Broads for Wilderness is thankful for our many members and supporters who give generously. Thanks especially to those of you who have forgone a thank you letter, saving us resources. You know who you are, and we want you to know how grateful we are for your support!

Thanks too to the foundations who supported our work in 2006.

Arkay Foundation
Maki Foundation
National Forest Foundation
N. Carolina Community Fdn.
Patagonia, Inc.
Peradam Foundation
Resources Legacy Fund Foundation
The New-Land Foundation
Tides Foundation
Unity Avenue Foundation
Wildlands CPR

Great Old Broads for Wilderness is a non-profit, public lands organization that uses the voices and activism of elders to preserve and protect wilderness and wildlands. Broads was conceived in 1989 by older women who loved wilderness and organized to protect is. The wisdom of their combined years told them that the Broads could bring knowledge, commitment, and humor to teh movement to protect our last wild places on earth.

Today, the Great Old Broads has over 3,000 active members. You do not have to be female, or old, or even great fro that matter! to join--but you must be "bold" for wilderness. Please join us on the adventure. Wilderness needs your help!

Please credit Broads for any reprinted articles.