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CHECK OUT
WHAT'S
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BENEFICIAL AND BALANCED STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND
REQUIRES AN ACCURATE
UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTS.
Our
public lands can only be managed appropriately when all of the complex issues
are
addressed and understood. Opinions formed from incomplete or
inaccurate information
and emotions are not beneficial to anyone.
"WILDERNESS" AND
"OPEN SPACE" ARE NOT THE SAME THING!
We encourage you to learn more, and we
hope the resources and
material provided on this website will be helpful and
informative.
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WE SUPPORT A MEANINGFUL BALANCE BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION, CONSERVATION, RECREATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WATER RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RESPECT FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS.
WE SUPPORT
PERMANENTLY PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE ORGAN MOUNTAINS,
AND THE OTHER SPECIAL AREAS IN OUR COUNTY.
THERE ARE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO FEDERAL "WILDERNESS"
DESIGNATION THAT CAN BE USED TO PROTECT OUR LAND, OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND
OUR OPEN SPACE.
CHECK OUT
WHAT'S
NEW
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DONA
ANA COUNTY PLANNED GROWTH,
OPEN SPACE AND RANGELAND PRESERVATION ACT
----- THE PEOPLE'S PROPOSAL -----
Help us PERMANENTLY PRESERVE
these special areas
for the public's ACCESS, ENJOYMENT and BENEFICIAL USE.
Learn more about this
Legislative
Proposal, endorsed by respected professionals and
supported by a
Coalition
of
OVER 700
businesses
and community organizations.
The
Village of Hatch unanimously passed
Resolution No. 732 on March 3,
2008,
endorsing the DONA ANA COUNTY PLANNED GROWTH,
OPEN SPACE AND RANGELAND PRESERVATION ACT. (new 03/03/08)
The
Hatch
Valley Chamber of Commerce voted at their 2/14/08 meeting
to endorse the
DONA ANA COUNTY PLANNED GROWTH, OPEN SPACE AND
RANGELAND PRESERVATION ACT
- THE PEOPLE'S PROPOSAL
(new 02/14/08)
Las Cruces Sun News
article "How
do we preserve our natural resources?"
by Jerry G. Schickedanz is Dean
emeritus of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics,
and Gerald W.
Thomas is President emeritus of New Mexico State University.
(new 02/04/08)
The
audio and video of the Las Cruces City Council meeting from Tuesday, 1/29/08
is
available on the city's website. Tom Cooper and Frank DuBois made a
presentation
to the Council on our proposed legislation.
(new 01/31/08)
Article by
Henry Lamb for World Net Daily:
"The
Cowboys Score"
Article by Jim Scarantino for the
Albuquerque Alibi
"Green Cowboy Hats - Ranchers step up to protect federal lands"
For additional background information,
see our
videos and
audio/visual presentations.
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WHAT'S
NEW!
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05/16/08 |
BLM Announces Revisions to Handbook Designed to Make
Environmental Reviews More Efficient |
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05/15/08 |
The new issue of RANGE
Magazine has a 4 page article on People for Preserving Our Western Heritage.
As soon as the article is available on the
RANGE website, we
will provide a link to it. In the meantime, if you aren't a
subscriber, pick up a copy and check it out. |
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05/15/08 |
Las Vegas Review Journal
Editorial "Desert
critters and the Endangered Species Act" |
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05/11/08 |
Arizona Daily Star letter
to the editor "Pima
buys land, lots of land" |
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05/11/08 |
Idaho Statesman article "Owyhees
bill hits new snag" |
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05/10/08 |
New Mexico Federal Lands
Council article "Grazing
Buyout/Wilderness/S.2833" |
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05/09/08 |
Seattle Times article "Bush
signs Wild Sky wilderness bill in Washington state". For some
commentary, see the
National Center for Public Policy Research blog May 8, 2008 entry. |
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05/09/08 |
Coalition of Arizona/New
Mexico Counties For Stable Economic Growth endorses the Dona Ana County
Planned Growth, Open Space and Rangeland Preservation Act. |
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05/08/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News Letter
to the Editor by Tom Mobley - "Balanced
proposal" - "Which is more radical? Is it the dogmatic commitment to
wilderness only? Or should we take an objective look at every area, see what
needs to be protected, and then consider measures that provide the
protection in a manner that allows sustainable management of natural
resources and reasonable access to everyone?" |
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05/08/08 |
Oregonian article "Senate
committee approves buyout of cattle ranchers" - "Rep. Greg Walden,
R-Ore., said he would introduce legislation in the next week to add federal
payments to ranchers who give up their grazing rights. The original
agreement called for federal money, but it was removed during Senate
consideration. Walden called it a "bait and switch" that shortchanges
ranchers who are walking away from a valuable asset.
... The federal payment
was deleted at the insistence of committee chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.,
who worried about setting a precedent if federal money was used. Sen.
Pete Domenici, R-N.M., also objected, arguing that using federal money to
buy grazing rights could lead to a wholesale buyback that would seal federal
lands from grazing." Also see Southern Oregon's Mail Tribune
article "Soda
Mountain Wilderness bill clears key committee".
Click here for the language of the pertinent sections of the two bills. |
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05/08/08 |
Montana KTVQ - "Senate
panel approves Idaho wilderness bill" - "The
bill, introduced by Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, would create an
807-square-mile wilderness. It also would open 300 square miles of
previously off-limit areas to motorized recreation, livestock grazing and
other activities." |
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05/08/08 |
Investor's Business Daily
article "Environmentalists
still can't get it right" |
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05/08/08 |
Newsmax article "Conservationists,
Developer Reach Major California Land Deal" -
"A group of environmentalists and the owners of a large stretch of
wilderness have reached a deal that would set aside the largest parcel of
land for conservation in California history." Note that the Tejon
Ranch is PRIVATELY owned, not federally owned. For information on the
Tejon Ranch, go to their
website. |
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05/07/08 |
Fox News article "Groups
Struggle to Clean Up Mess Illegal Immigrants Leave Behind" -
"The latest battle in the war on illegal immigration isn't over the
smuggling of undocumented workers, it's over the trash they leave behind.
... In 2006 alone, more than 1.18 million pounds of trash was collected
along the southern Arizona border...
Arizona officials have spent approximately $4.4 million over five years to
clean up the mess, that continues to build with each crossing. Nearly $1
million was spent for 2007 from a base BLM appropriation. Border
Patrol's Tucson sector, which covers most of the Arizona border, doesn't
have statistics about how many people cross through each year, but on
average, agents apprehend 1,500 people a day, with 378,000 undocumented
immigrants caught in 2007 alone." |
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05/06/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News
article "Lawmen
tackle border security" |
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05/04/08 |
Reno Gazette Journal
article "Two
Cents Worth: Reid pledges to preserve agriculture, too - Senator will also
honor our wishes opposing lands bill" - "U.S. Senator Harry Reid's
office pledged again this week to honor the wishes of the Lyon County
Commissioners in opposing wilderness and an all-encompassing lands bill.
Senator John Ensign and Congressman Dean Heller have followed suit." |
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05/04/08 |
Western Horseman article "End
of Trail" -
"Across the United States, riding trails are at risk. More than ever,
backcountry horsemen must compete with hikers, mountain bikers, ATV riders
and others for public-land access. And, with increasingly restrictive—even
anti-horse—regulations in some locales, trails on which riders were once
welcome are now hostile environments for horsemen.
... The Shawnee
National Forest covers more than 277,000 acres, south of Harrisburg,
Illinois. Under its 2006 Forest Plan, the U.S. Forest Service enacted
regulations in the Big Grand Pierre Creek, Eagle Creek, Lusk Creek and Upper
Bay Creek watersheds to prohibit riders from leaving established trails,
with a $5,000 fine and six-month imprisonment for violators." |
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04/29/08 |
Mesilla Valley
CowBelles letter
supporting the proposed Dona Ana County Planned Growth, Open Space and
Rangeland Preservation Area Act. |
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04/29/08 |
Washington Post article "From
Mexico, Drug Violence Spills Into U.S." |
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04/29/08 |
Drovers article "North
of the border" about a rancher operating just north of the Mexico border
in Arizona -
“Their plight is terrible,” he says — the drug smugglers are another matter.
“They’re dangerous people. I wouldn’t leave the house without a sidearm,
just to protect myself if I get caught in the crossfire.” Besides the
workers and the smugglers, bandits roam the border area, waiting for a
chance to rob either group. It’s not unusual for Heilig and his wife to hear
gunshots from their front porch." |
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04/25/08 |
"Enviros
Back Udall" -
"Several national environmental groups are joining forces this year to
try to elect Tom Udall and two other Democrats to the U.S. Senate, an
unprecedented level of coordination that aims to build off their success in
2006 in ousting a U.S. House member." |
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04/24/08 |
Forbes
article - "Southern
Border Wall and Wilderness Border Bill to be Focus of Congressional Hearing" -
"Representatives of
Idaho's ranching and conservationist communities praised a bill Tuesday that
would create a wilderness in southwest Idaho's Owyhee canyonlands, while
opening other lands to motorized recreation and grazing." |
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04/24/08 |
Capital Press
article - "Ranchers,
environmentalists praise Idaho wilderness bill" -
"Proposed Wilderness designation will create limited enforcement zone
along U.S./Mexico border declares former Border Patrol officer." |
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04/23/08 |
National Review Online
article - "Will
Liberty Go Extinct?" -
"Over the course of nearly four decades, environmental regulation has grown
by leaps and bounds. Research conducted by the Competitive Enterprise
Institute shows that environmental lawmaking has proven to be the leading
area of government lawmaking activity for decades. For those who value
liberty and free enterprise, these trends should be disturbing. Surely, we
all want a healthy environment, but environmental regulation has become
synonymous with “command-and-control” regulation." |
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04/22/08 |
"Support
for Alternative to Wilderness Designations Grows Dramatically - Over 700
businesses and organizations support coalition" - "More than 700
businesses, governmental entities, and community organizations have now
endorsed alternative legislation that would preserve open space and protect
rangeland in southern New Mexico without the designation of 'federal
wilderness'." |
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04/22/08 |
Wall Street Journal
editorial - "Why
I Left Greenpeace" by Patrick Moore, co-founder and former leader of
Greenpeace.
"As I completed a Ph.D. in ecology, I
combined my science background with the strong media skills of my
colleagues. In keeping with our pacifist views, we started Greenpeace.
But I later learned that the environmental movement is not always guided by
science. As we celebrate Earth Day today, this is a good lesson to keep in
mind. ... We all have a responsibility to
be environmental stewards. But that stewardship requires that science, not
political agendas, drive our public policy." |
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04/19/08 |
U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment & Public Works press release "Inhofe-Mica
United Against Federal Land Grab Legislation - Congressional Hearings Expose
Significant Opposition to Democrat Water Bill" |
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04/18/08 |
Jackson Hole Star Tribune
article "Manager
backs plan to let cattle graze in E. Idaho park" - "The manager of a
popular state park in eastern Idaho has proposed letting cattle graze there
again, arguing it will make the park more like it was when it was a stop on
the Oregon Trail by eliminating invasive plants and allowing native plants
to return." |
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04/14/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News
article "Rep.
Steve Pearce focuses on border issues during recent visit" - "He also
agreed that a proposed wilderness designation of local lands designated as
wilderness study areas was unwise. "The other side doesn't care
what the law is — they're already breaking it," Pearce said, adding such a
designation would not only make it harder for drug agents to locate
hundred-acre marijuana fields but also prevent emergency workers from fixing
dams after disastrous floods." |
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04/13/08 |
Idaho Statesman article "Owyhee
Canyonlands protections back before Congress" |
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04/12/08 |
Reno Gazette Journal
article "Congressional
reps say they don't endorse wilderness proposal" - "The message was
clear during last Wednesday's meeting in Smith Valley conducted by the
Coalition for Public Access (CPA): the vast majority of those present oppose
a current Nevada Wildenress Project wilderness designation proposal as part
of a public lands bill. But despite overwhelming opposition from most
of the about 750 in attendance--including a direct request that they drop
the proposal--a trio of representatives of wilderness groups that proposed
almost 700,000 acres of land in mainly Lyon and Mineral Counties be
designated as wilderness, remained firm in their stance on that proposal.
... Lyon County Sheriff Allen Veil also spoke about the impacts on his
office of trying to enforce the limitations of a wilderness designation,
saying the LCSO they would be called about violations, not the federal law
enforcement, and adding, "We've got some concerns." Veil also said the
designation could be a strain on Search and Rescue if people are lost in
areas where motorized travel is restricted." |
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04/11/08 |
Cortez Journal article - "Public
land agencies could join services" - "Study measure proposal to move
U.S. Forest Service under management with BLM, National Park Service" |
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04/10/08 |
Nevada Appeal article "Wilderness
advocates 'overplayed their hand'" -
"Rep. Dean Heller said a proposal by the
Nevada Wilderness Project will make it difficult to do a lands bill of any
sort for Lyon and Mineral counties. "This has played out very poorly,"
Heller, R-Nev., told The Record-Courier on Monday. "The special interest
groups have made this process very difficult. They've overplayed their hand
is the bottom line." ... "The Nevada Wilderness Project was supposed
to be negotiated between local cattlemen, county commissioners and the
people involved," he said. "It was supposed to be done in good faith and it
wasn't." ... "I've traveled around quite a bit over this issue," he said.
"People are very vocal and for good reason. They are very concerned about a
bill that doesn't have community buy-in. I believe they have every reason to
be upset." |
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04/10/08 |
Pueblo Chieftain article "County
joins opposition to Pinion Canyon expansion" -
"The Pueblo County Board
of Commissioners made official its opposition to the U.S. Army's plans to
expand the Pinon Canyon Maneuver site Tuesday. In a resolution passed
unanimously by the three-member board, the county joined ranchers and other
opponents of a plan to expand the Army's training grounds by 414,000 acres." |
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04/10/08 |
The Washington Times
article "Environmental
hysterics" |
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04/09/08 |
Mercury News article "Open
space district awards grazing lease for San Mateo property" -
"The old
paradigm was to kick cattle off property when acquired by conservation
groups. Overgrazed, eroded and trampled pastures had alarmed the region's
environmentalists. But further research brought a turnaround in thinking.
Removing cattle from San Jose's Silver Creek Hills in the 1990s, for
instance, led to depletion of wildflowers that are food for the endangered
bay checkerspot butterfly. Inspired by successful grazing on San
Jose's Coyote Ridge, district managers seek to reduce wildfire risk in an
area that is too big to mow and too dangerous to burn - and fend off the
encroachment of forest. The district's adoption of "conservation
grazing" - the use of livestock to boost the diversity of native plants and
animals, control the spread of invasive non-native plants and prevent fire -
may eventually reintroduce cattle to 5,000 grassy acres in Santa Clara and
San Mateo counties. " |
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04/08/08 |
Reno Gazette Journal
article "Lawmakers
ease off on wilderness idea" - "A
proposal to designate a vast swath of rugged terrain in western Nevada as
wilderness has alarm bells ringing in several rural communities, with scores
of residents opposed and some of Nevada's congressional delegation
distancing themselves from the idea. ... But residents suspicious of
them and federal representatives are mobilizing to block a proposal they
said could damage their economy and cherished way of life. ... County
commissions in Lyon, Mineral and Esmeralda counties have approved
resolutions opposing wilderness designations." |
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04/07/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News
Editorial by Dolly June Moore - "Wilderness
proposal brings back bad memories". |
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04/07/08 |
2008 session State of Utah
resolution "Joint
Resolution Opposing Designation of Public Lands Currently Urged by Congress
and the Bureau of Land Management". "This resolution: urges
Congress not to enact federal legislation designating additional
"wilderness" on public lands within Utah without the unanimous support of
Utah's congressional delegation; urges the United States Bureau of Land
Management not to restrict access to existing public lands in Utah under its
jurisdiction through so-called "wilderness characteristics" options in
resource management plans; and reaffirms the Legislature's strong support
for continued public access and multiple use regarding public lands." |
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04/07/08 |
Nevada group launches
website -
Coalition for Public Access |
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04/06/08 |
Liberal, KS Southwest
Daily Times article - "Former
border patrol agent speaks on immigration".
"One
of the worries Taylor currently has about immigration are two bills, HR 3287
and HR 2593. The first would designate part of the United States/Mexico
border in Arizona as wilderness. The second would designate all of the
United States border with both Canada and Mexico as wilderness. 'A
wilderness designation in the United States is very restrictive as to what
you can do when you’re on the wilderness area,' he explained. 'You cannot
take any kind of mechanized equipment on there – not even a bicycle.'
A couple of weeks ago, a hiker discovered an illegal immigrant who had been
shot three times by bandits, called bajardoras. 'Groups of three to
six with automatic weapons go into these wilderness areas and they rob the
illegal aliens that are going through, and if they give them any resistance,
they just shoot them,' Taylor said. 'This is what a lot of people don’t
understand, that the victim is the person coming here.' Since the man
was found in an area designated as a wilderness, he had to be rescued by
foot – a group walked to him with a stretcher and carried him back out. From
the time he was found until he was taken to the hospital took 12 hours,
Taylor said. The bills are currently pending, he added, but if passed,
they would hinder the duties of the border patrol, because it would keep the
border patrolmen away from the border unless they were on foot or horseback.
'The congressmen that are supporting it know that this is going to make this
area more dangerous. It’s going to encourage the smugglers to use it more,
and they’re trying to cloak it as wilderness to get it passed,' he said.
'These wildernesses should never be considered on or near the international
borders.' But mainly, he said, the bills would keep border patrols
from being able to do their job. Part of what they do is to enforce
immigration laws. The purpose of those laws, he said, is to protect the
American economy and American jobs and to protect the public safety and
national security." |
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04/02/08 |
Mesilla
Valley Sportsmen's Alliance, a supporter of our
legislative proposal and a member
of our Coalition, launched a new blog
this year - "To promote the interests of Mesilla Valley sportsmen and
recreationists and to preserve and protect continued access to all federal
and state lands for multiple use by all citizens." |
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04/02/08 |
Evansville Courier & Press article "Fliers
hint at I-69 resistance" - "The loosely-knit group Earth First has
circulated fliers in Evansville and posted information on its Web site about
"resisting" the start of construction this summer of the
Evansville-to-Indianapolis highway. Earth First was the same
organization whose members last July barged into the offices of I-69
engineering consultants, snatched items off employees' desks, tossed them
outside and fled. They claimed they were "evicting" the staff just as the
state would be evicting property owners along I-69's path." |
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04/01/08 |
Mason Valley News - "City
to create resolution, send letters opposing wilderness proposals". "Last
week, the Board of Lyon County Commissioners voted to send a resolution to
state, and possibly, all of U.S. Congress, opposing this bill. The City
similarly voted to create a resolution opposing the bill and to send letters
to all state representatives stating the same. ... It was also noted last
week Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons is in opposition to the bill." |
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04/01/08 |
BLM Statistics comparing pre-FLMPA (1976) to 2000. |
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03/31/08 |
Western Livestock Journal
article: "New
Mexico faces possibility of new wilderness designation" |
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03/31/08 |
Fox News: "FBI:
Eco-Terrorism Remains No. 1 Domestic Terror Threat" -
"Generally speaking, the Earth Liberation folks are motivated by a deep kind
of affective connection to nature that many of them would characterize as
spiritual or religious," said Bron Taylor, a professor of religion and
nature at the University of Florida. "They believe that the human species is
perpetrating a war on nature and that those who are connected to nature and
belong to it have a right to defend themselves."
Click here
for additional background on the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and
eco-terrorism. |
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03/28/08 |
"Radical Tucson
environmentalist gets 1 year, 1 day for speech" - "A radical
environmentalist was sentenced Thursday to one year and one day in federal
prison for speaking publicly about how to make a homemade Molotov cocktail.
Rodney Coronado apologized for his past use of violent tactics in the name
of animal rights and the environment, and said he had cut his ties to
groups, including the Earth Liberation Front." |
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03/27/08 |
Western Horseman magazine
article "This
Land is My Land".
"When the
Army’s map showed plans to acquire an additional 418,000 acres, with the
potential for expanding the site to more than 2 million acres, local
landowners were outraged and began organizing against the expansion.
Much of the proposed area is private property, and residents remember all
too well how the original maneuver site was acquired—the federal government
seized about half of it by condemning it and relocating 11 landowners." |
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03/27/08 |
"Lyon
wilderness land request out of line" -
"People from the
Sierra Club have been quoted as saying this is no longer a matter of
quality, but is a matter of quantity. Simply because these Counties'
populations are not very large in comparison to other areas, the
environmentalist movement has been emboldened enough to run over us." |
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03/26/08 |
Upcoming vote, April 2, on
Grijalva Wilderness Border Bills (HR 3287 and HR 2593). These
bills are a threat to Homeland Security and provide an open pathway for drug
smugglers and illegal aliens into the United States. CALL YOUR
CONGRESSMAN to oppose this bill. |
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03/26/08 |
"Forest
Service May Move to Interior - Some see agency as out of place under the
USDA" |
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03/25/08 |
Western Livestock Journal
- "Wilderness,
wilderness everywhere" |
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF PREVIOUS
WHAT'S NEW ENTRIES.
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WEBSITE INDEX
Our website contains a significant amount of information, and our site has
grown to the point where it can be a bit overwhelming.
To help you quickly find the information contained in our site, we have added
a Home Page Index (below) and a
Website Index
listing all the main pages of our website.
HOME PAGE INDEX -
THIS PAGE ONLY (Alphabetical)
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AUDIO/VISUAL PRESENTATIONS
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The following short presentations were
created by People for Preserving Our Western Heritage. We hope you will find these
presentations informative and helpful in understanding the complex issues
related to Federal Wilderness designation.
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"What is Wilderness"
This
presentation provides an overview of what is involved in a Federal
Wilderness designation, separating the "spirit" of wilderness
from the reality of the legislative designation of wilderness.
This presentation takes a high level look at the impacts and ramifications
that result from Federal Wilderness designation.
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"Wilderness... Understanding the Impacts on Ranching"
This
presentation goes through a very brief history of ranching, and looks at
several of the ways that a Federal Wilderness designation impacts ranching
operations, rangeland and wildlife conservation. This presentation
will give the viewer a much better understanding of why the ranching
community is so concerned about proposed Federal Wilderness designation for
lands that have active grazing allotments and existing ranching operations.
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We also
have an educational
Video available. |
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PRESERVING
WESTERN HERITAGE
Most of us are
located here in southern New Mexico because of it's surroundings and because
of our love and respect for the true Western
Heritage that is part of the history and culture of Dona Ana County.
This is our home, and many of us have several generations of family history
in this area.
We all
cherish the beautiful open space that is so abundant in our county. We
believe we should ALL be able to enjoy the beautiful areas that surround us
in a responsible manner.
 Ranching
exists in the southwest only because of the historic preservation of open
space. Without open space, ranching disappears. Displace the
rancher, and open space will be gone.
Ranchers
and farmers are the historical stewards of the land.
 The historical
stewardship of the land has contributed to our beautiful rangelands we enjoy today. The
rangelands are the lifeblood of the rancher.
A group of ranchers and
other concerned citizens formed the group PEOPLE FOR PRESERVING OUR WESTERN HERITAGE
in late 2006, in response to proposed designation of Federal Wilderness for
lands in Dona Ana County, New Mexico.
One of our areas of focus is to inform the public of the serious issues and community impacts related
to the Federal designation of Wilderness.
Initially, our concerns
were focused primarily on the devastating impacts to ranching and agriculture
that history has shown after Federal Wilderness designation in other areas.
However, we
soon began to see that there were serious consequences that reached far beyond
the ranching and agricultural community.
We can
protect these areas and maintain the character of the history the area
represents. Man is an important
part of that history, and should not be banned from its future.
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COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS
Throughout the City of Las Cruces Regional Land Planning meetings, many people
had the opportunity to provide their perspectives on the priorities for
preservation of the special areas in Dona Ana County. Additionally,
members of our group met with numerous professionals, groups, organizations,
businesses and individuals in and around Dona Ana County.
The
results were consolidated into the following list of "Community Expectations"
for responsible and appropriate management and preservation for the identified
Federal lands in our county.
People
for Preserving Our Western Heritage have held these Community Expectations as
the standard that must be met for any proposed legislation affecting Federal
land protection and management.
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DONA
ANA COUNTY COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS |
1.
Permanent retention of open space
2. Provision for planned economic and population growth
3. Unrestricted application of Homeland Security and law enforcement
activities
4. Prevention of the unlawful use of motorized vehicles off designated
roads
5. Continued access to the areas for ALL segments of the public
6. Perpetuation of historic ranching operations
7. Access for flood control and water capture projects
8. Enhancement of wildlife and rangeland health
9. Integrity with respect to historic Wilderness concepts and law |
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WHAT IS "WILDERNESS"?
Most
people have an image that comes to mind when they ear the word
wilderness. On the surface, some of the arguments for designating some
of the public land in Dona Ana County as "Wilderness" may sound
reasonable, and even desirable. However, the word "Wilderness", in terms
of Federal legislation, carries a strict definition and serious management
implications that must be clearly understood to make an informed decision.
The Original Wilderness
Act
It is in the public interest to
retain some lands in Federal ownership, for the benefit of all people. Aldo
Leopold, a key individual in the history of the original Wilderness Act, once
wrote: “A wilderness should be big enough to absorb a two-week pack trip
without crossing your own tracks.”
This statement does a good job
of capturing the "spirit" of the word wilderness. True wilderness areas
are very special, and should remain special.
The Federal
definition of Wilderness, as specified in the
Wilderness Act of 1964, is very restrictive. More than 50% of the
designated Wilderness areas (well over 57 million acres) are in Alaska, where
the areas are roadless, remote and truly wild.
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THERE ARE ALREADY NEARLY 107.5
MILLION ACRES OF LAND IN 702
FEDERALLY DESIGNATED WILDERNESS AREAS IN THE U.S.
LEGISLATION IS CURRENTLY
PENDING TO DESIGNATE OVER
40 MILLION ADDITIONAL ACRES AS FEDERAL
WILDERNESS
For additional statistics and
information, see the
Wilderness.net website.
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Qualification for
Federal Wilderness Designation
In reality, a very low percentage of
the total land base of the United States meets the rigorous qualifications for Federal Wilderness
designation.
The
first step is to understand what the Federal designation of "Wilderness" really involves.
"Wilderness" is not simply a large area of open space.
Federal Wilderness Designation has a very
specific and detailed legislative definition, including a wide-sweeping
collection of restrictions and prohibitions.
A simple
look into the realities of Federal agency management in designated Wilderness
areas is a much better way to gain an accurate understanding of the true
impacts of the Federal Wilderness designation. Although it may or may
not have not been the original intent of the Wilderness Act, the ultimate
objective and use of the Act today is to restrict or eliminate access to the
areas in an effort to "remove human impact" from the land.
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FEDERAL WILDERNESS DESIGNATION AND MANY
OTHER FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT DESIGNATIONS CENTER AROUND THE REDUCTION OR THE COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF THE
PRESENCE OF MAN FROM THE LAND.
IRONICALLY, THE "PROTECTIONS" AGAINST
MAN ARE QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY THE PROMISES OF FUTURE ENJOYMENT BY MAN AND HIS
DESCENDANTS.
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The Push from
Environmental Groups for MORE Federal Wilderness
The
original ideal of Federal Wilderness has been increasingly compromised as
environmental special interest groups try to designate
as much acreage as possible as Federal Wilderness under the
Wilderness Act of 1964. These groups
attempt to frighten people into believing that the open space areas will be
quickly consumed with housing and development if a Federal Wilderness
designation is not immediately imposed upon the areas.
The information provided by many of the environmental and wilderness groups is
often incomplete, misleading, and in some cases quite biased and inaccurate.
They boldly state that a Federal Wilderness designation is the only way to
"protect" the land.
This trend has
become all too common across the western states where there are large amounts
of federally owned lands, and now the activists have targeted Dona Ana County.
To attempt to apply a Federal Wilderness designation to areas a few miles from
an urban area and label it "wilderness" is offensive to the original intent
and spirit of the Wilderness Act and its founders.
A
proposal developed and promoted by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance calls
for roughly 1 of every 3 acres
managed by the BLM in Dona Ana County to be designated as Federal Wilderness,
with even more land targeted in their sights for future designation in what
they call their "inventory". While this would preserve our
open space, the severe restrictions of a federal Wilderness designation would
have far-reaching impacts that must be carefully considered.
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THE MOVEMENT UNDERWAY TO
RESTRICT OUR PUBLIC LAND UNDER THE GUISE OF "PROTECTING THE LAND"
DOES NOT JUST AFFECT RANCHERS AND FARMERS.
THERE WILL BE FAR REACHING SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FOR ALL OF
US.
ACCESS AND MANY BENEFICIAL USES OF
THE AREAS
WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED
OR COMPLETELY ELIMINATED.
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What Is Behind The Push
For More Federal Wilderness? WHO Is Behind It?
With over 100
million acres of Federally designed Wilderness, why is there such a strong
push for more?
Using words like "conservation", "preservation" and "protection", there are
groups and individuals promoting an
agenda which would
restrict the access to our public lands to an elite few. The
numerous issues surrounding the "Wilderness" and "Rewilding" environmental
movements are quite serious.
The New
Mexico Wilderness Alliance
Summer 2007 newsletter had an article on the founding
board members of NMWA. They stated in that article that Mr. Dave
Foreman "provided many, if not most, of the philosophical
underpinnings that guide the work of NMWA."
Mr. Foreman was a founder of NMWA, and was listed on the Board of
Directors through 2005.
To
understand these "philosophical underpinnings", it is necessary to look in to
Mr. Foreman and his career as an environmental movement leader.
Mr. Foreman
has a long and well documented history.
He co-founded the
radical environmental group EarthFirst! and he wrote the book "Eco-Defense, A
Field Guide to Monkeywrenching" along with several others. He has been arrested by the FBI on
conspiracy charges, among many other "accomplishments". Mr.
Foreman's most recent efforts focus on the "Rewilding
of America" with his
Rewilding Institute.
In Mr. Foreman's Own
Words
There is a video
titled "EARTHFIRST! The Politics of Radical
Environmentalism" by Manes. Excerpts of this 1987 documentary appeared
on 60 Minutes. The video is available in 4 parts: "Part
1", "Part
2" and "Part
3" and
"Part 4".
Featured in the videos are past and present NMWA Board Members Dave Foreman, Nancy Morton (Dave
Foreman's wife), and many other EarthFirst! followers. Mr. Foreman
has publicly stated that
their philosophy and purpose is to "destroy civilization and
technology, and eliminate the need for the word 'wilderness' because
everything will be 'wilderness'".
Ms. Morton states
in the documentary that "monkeywrenching" (sabatoge in the name of
"eco-defense") is "using the tools of the devil against the devil".
The NMWA Connection To
EarthFirst!
The
book "Coyotes and Town Dogs" indicates that the current Chair of the Board of
Directors of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, C. Wesley Leonard,
was also heavily involved with Dave Foreman in the inception of EarthFirst!.
Former NMWA Chairman Dr. Robert Howard has also been closely associated with
Mr. Foreman in NMWA and The
Wildlands Project and continues to be involved with Foreman's
Rewilding Institute. NMWA Board Member Todd Schulke also has
ties to EarthFirst!.
One of
Mr. Foreman's numerous famous statements revealing his view that humanity is a
scourge upon the land is ""We humans have become a disease -- the
Humanpox.".
Mr. Foreman also states
"For
almost forty years, I’ve supported slowing and then halting human population
growth." In
the above videos, he states that EarthFirst! members are
"antibodies
against the Humanpox".
The NMWA
website reflects several changes in the individuals serving on their
Board of
Directors, one of which is the addition of Nancy Morton to the Board.
Ms. Morton is recognized as a founding member of NMWA. She is also the
wife of Dave Foreman,
and is listed on the "Working Group" for
the
Rewilding Institute.
For more
information, see our
Dona Ana County History,
Understanding the Agenda and our
References and
Resources sections.
The background and past actions of these groups and individuals provide
information which must be taken into consideration when evaluating their
current positions and proposals.
If these
groups succeed, beneficial
use and enjoyment of our public lands would be severely restricted for most of
the public. Anyone unable to walk or hike into the areas from the
perimeter or the selected "cherry stemmed" roads would no longer have access
to the areas.
Federal Wilderness
Designation, BY LAW, Requires:
- NO motorized or mechanized equipment
- NO forms
of mechanized transport (bicycles, etc.)
- NO permanent improvements or structures
- NO permanent roads and no temporary roads
- NO appropriation of funding
Some
Wilderness advocates have publicly stated that a federal wilderness designation
provides additional funding resources. However, that would be ILLEGAL.
The Wilderness Act of
1964 expressly prohibits additional appropriations.
Section
2. (b) of the Wilderness Act of 1964 states: "No appropriation
shall be available for the payment of expenses or salaries for the
administration of the National Wilderness Preservation System as a separate
unit nor shall any appropriations be available for additional personnel
stated as being required solely for the purpose of managing or administering
areas solely because they are included within the National Wilderness
Preservation System."
The
restrictions on Federal Wilderness must be understood and raise many concerns
and serious issues that must be exposed to the community for consideration.
Federal
Wilderness Designation has SERIOUS COMMUNITY RAMIFICATIONS:
-
LOSS of motorized access in the areas for ALL
segments of the public
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Law enforcement, border security and National
Security - loss of ability for motorized patrol and limited pursuit
ability creates a refuge for criminals and illegal activity
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Restraints and limitations on water capture, water
management and flood control projects
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