Big Wild Bi-Weekly 5.29.09

Dear Friends,

This week's Big-Wild Bi-Weekly includes upcoming Clearwater Country outings, an opportunity to learn more about the ill-conceived Upper Lochsa Land Exchange, and both good and bad news from Washington, D.C. concerning Idaho's roadless areas.

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 30, 1:00 p.m. at the Potlatch Jr. High/High School, the Friends of the Palouse Ranger District will be holding an informative meeting about the continued land-wrangling of Tim Blixseth. Mr Blixseth of Western Pacific Timber notoriety along with support from the Clearwater National Forest has proposed the Upper Lochsa Land Exchange, which would trade the very important privately-owned checkerboard lands in the upper Lochsa for scattered public lands in the Palouse Ranger District of the Clearwater National Forest as well as lands in proximity to Elk City in the Nez Perce National Forest. These upper Lochsa lands would be an incredible addition to the public lands in our region, but the cost is entirely too high. Please join in the effort to create and design alternatives that would bring the valuable upper Lochsa lands into public ownership.

Saturday, June 6, 7:30 a.m. at Eastside Market place we will be joining the Idaho Native Plant Society on a Coastal Disjunct hike to Three Rivers, where the Lochsa and Selway form the Middle Fork Clearwater. We will enjoy some botanizing and birding I am sure as both flowering plants and the birds that enjoy them have returned. Bring a lunch, water, and snacks as this will be a full day on the lower Lochsa and Selway Rivers.

Idaho's roadless areas were hung out to dry by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the Obama Administration yesterday. Despite a one year "moratorium" on road-building in all other national forests (the moratorium already exists because the Clinton-era roadless rule is still in place) Idaho roadless areas were sacrificed because the "Idaho Rule" had already hit the books. Please choose to respond to this gutless political move and to the poorly written Tribune article by sending a letter-to-the-editor (LTE). Rest-assured this will be challenged in court. LTE pointers as well as the email address for Tribune letters and rules can be found here: http://www.friendsoftheclearwater.org/send-letter-your-local-newspaper

This bad news lends more legitimacy to the need for real protection, however. The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act now has 90 co-sponsors. Look for the latest news on the bill to come in our Spring-Summer Clearwater Defender due out next week. If you aren't yet a member, please join us by responding to this email and/or donating online at www.friendsoftheclearwater.org.

And on a final note it is nice to be back in the saddle here with Gary Macfarlane and all of our great interns, volunteers and supporters fighting for the Wild Clearwater,

Will Boyd, Education & Outreach Director