Dear Friend,
"Your support of Friends of the Clearwater made this past year a watershed in grassroots conservation. After years of playing defense, we made proactive progress for permanent protection of the Clearwater wildlands in 2006. This October, the US House of Representatives held a hearing on the visionary Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA), also known by its bill number, HR 1975. I was invited by Congress to go back to Washington D.C. and testify on behalf of this legislation."
"There were naysayers who did not believe that a hearing would be held on the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. You proved them wrong. Grassroots conservationists and conservation organizations, including Friends of the Clearwater, took the first step along the path to eventual passage with the hearing."
"This past year, I also spent one month in the Clearwater backcountry. In Weitas Creek, I encountered a black bear, heard elk bugle, and wolves call. I saw wild trout in icy streams in additions to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. In past years, I have followed the snow melt and elk in Big Mallard and Rhett Creeks, climbed Pot Mountain and seen what appeared to be a grizzly track in Kelly Creek. All these wild things and wild places are connected, and we are connected to them. NREPA would make sure these wild connections continue for future generations of bears, salmon and people."
"The work of Friends of the Clearwater (FOC) would not be possible without your generous support. There are many other ways your generous help has paid off this past year. I'd also like to ask you to consider making a year-end contribution to safeguard the Wild Clearwater country that you and I love. The successes this past year did not come without monetary expenses."
Additional Successes in 2007
"Friends of the Clearwater members, volunteers, interns and staff responded vigorously to the proposal from officials on the Nez Perce National Forest which authorized a dirtbike jamboree in a portion of Meadow Creek, a proposed wilderness addition to the
Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in HR 1975, and surrounding areas. Citizen monitoring brought to the attention of the Forest Service serious problems and the event was shut down by the Forest Service. At the same time, you wrote to suggest protection for all unroaded areas during the comment period for the Nez Perce National Forest initial draft off-road vehicle plan."
"Your organization has been active in public education and outreach in order to gain more support to protect Clearwater wildlands. We have been following the sage advice of longtime wilderness advocate Stewart Brandborg-- who was a special guest at our annual meeting in November--and we are attempting to nurture and grow a movement of citizens who will effectively advocate for wildlands."
"For example, FOC sponsored a workshop with Dr. Fred Rabe, a retired University of Idaho aquatic biology professor, to look at the unique ecological features of the Little North Fork Clearwater headwaters. Dr. Jim Peek, a retired University of Idaho wildlife professor, gave a wonderful presentation on wolves in Idaho debunking myths of those who want to eliminate wolves because they wrongly believe that wolves threaten populations of deer, elk and other ungulates. Noted author, conservationist and backpacking outfitter Howie Wolke gave
a presentation about the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. An intern, Justin Saydell, prepared an excellent digital slide presentation on the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. Presentations have been given using this tool and they have generated letters of support for this visionary legislation."
"All the roadless wildlands on the national forests were protected from road building and logging this past year. The Nez Perce National Forest officials shelved a proposal that would have logged an area of wildland that should be added to the Gospel Hump Wilderness after an appeal by FOC and the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. The Western Mining Action Project represented Friends of the Clearwater and other groups on an appeal of a suction dredge mining project in the Clearwater National Forest. This proposal threatened bull trout in Moose Creek (a tributary of Kelly Creek) and salmon and steelhead in Lolo Creek. The Forest Service withdrew the Record of Decision for the project in face of the appeal."
"Friends of the Clearwater interns and volunteers completed a Coeur d?Alene salamander monitoring project, thanks to the good work of Adrienne Boland, Andrew Miller, and Steve Paulson. We now have information on how to better protect this sensitive species. The key will be in convincing the agencies to do right for wildlife. Several organizations, including FOC, petitioned to list the Giant Palouse Earthworm under the Endangered Species Act. The same coalition of organizations, citizens and scientists is pursuing that effort this coming year.
Dedicated members from Moscow and Kamiah notified the FOC office about air quality issues surrounding the Potlatch Mill. Together, citizens stopped a permit to burn tires at the mill and FOC and ICL are challenging an air quality permit at the mill. Other members have made sure the Forest Service doesn't destroy the wild character surrounding important historical trails."
The Coming Year
"FOC is leading the charge to protect and recover the remaining grizzlies in the wild Clearwater region. This past fall, grizzlies were found positively to exist in the Clearwater through an unfortunate accident where one was mistakenly killed by a hunter. Many of us have known that grizzlies were here, yet the agencies would not believe it until a dead grizzly was found."
"If you have not already received an alert in the mail about the Clearwater National Forest plan to manage vehicles, you will soon. We will be busy this coming year in the effort to convince the Forest Service to keep vehicles out of wild areas on the Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests. Due to 20-plus years of agency neglect, vehicles were allowed to come into these areas even though the trails were only designed for foot travel."
"FOC is working with a coalition of organizations to make sure wolves fill their ecological role in the wild Clearwater. We expect to see the State of Idaho's idiotic proposal to kill 75% of the wolves in the Clearwater resurface. We intend to meet that challenge. We also need to continue educating Congress about the public wildlands in the Clearwater region. The NREPA provides one such avenue."
"We will continue to hold the feet of the US Forest Service to the fire in proper stewardship of designated wilderness. It should come as no surprise that the agency which has tried for decades to destroy wild areas through road building and logging is not the best steward of areas once they are protected as Wilderness by Congress. Finally, FOC will be entering a time of transition. Will Boyd, our Education Director, plans to leave late this coming spring to pursue learning a trade. While he will still continue to be heavily involved in FOC, we will need to find a new person to try and fulfill his big shoes in this full time position."
"With your help, we'll move forward for meaningful positive change. Friends of the Clearwater is dependent, more than ever, on your financial support. This past year has been successful but that success has come at a financial price. Your contribution goes towards issues such as safeguarding the wild forests of the Clearwater and making sure grizzlies, wolves, lynx, and Chinook salmon still a have a home. We are a feisty, grassroots group that works hard and succeeds. Please take a moment right now to contemplate your gift, be it $25, $50, $100 or more and return it in the enclosed envelope."
Thank you in advance for your gift. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
For the Wild,
Gary Macfarlane, Ecosystem Defense Director
Will Boyd, Education Director
FOC Board of Directors
P.S. You may also want to make a special gift contribution for a membership or a gift in honor of a friend or family member.
You may join Friends of the Clearwater and contribute to another year of wildland and wildlife protection in the Clearwater by donating electronically!
