Here’s what is happening this month with the redrock:

1. Thank President Obama for designating new national monuments.
2. Take action to protect the Gunnison sage grouse!
3. Ask your members of Congress to support Utah wilderness protection.
4. Activists overcome a storm to advocate for the redrock in DC.
5. See a Utah wilderness slideshow near you and get involved this spring!

Obama protects first large-scale landscape. Is a Greater Canyonlands National Monument in his future?

Camp inside the South Fork of Robbers Roost in the proposed Greater Canyonlands National Monument. Copyright Seth Andersen.

Did you hear the news?  On Monday, President Obama designated the largest new national monument of his administration in New Mexico – El Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument.

This is a big deal for those of us in Utah calling for the protection of the Greater Canyonlands region, as this is the first time the President has used the Antiquities Act to protect a large threatened landscape like those we’re working to protect in Utah’s redrock canyon country.

Please thank President Obama for using the Antiquities Act to protect public lands and then urge him to protect Greater Canyonlands!

1) Click here to send an email message to President Obama.

2) Click here to thank President Obama publicly by sending a letter to the editor of your local paper.

The more he hears that the public supports greater land protections, the more likely he is to protect the wild Utah landscapes that we love — including Greater Canyonlands.  Please take a moment to send a thank-you to President Obama today!

Help protect the Gunnison sage grouse!

Spring is coming and soon the Gunnison sage grouse, one of the most imperiled species in the United States, will be dancing at sunrise southeast of Moab to attract mates.  Meanwhile, these fascinating birds may be about to get the protection they need to avoid becoming extinct, but they need your help.

Take action!  Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that you support protecting the Gunnison sage grouse.

Photo: BLM

Fewer than 5,000 Gunnison sage grouse remain, occurring in less than 10 percent of their historic range.  The remaining small and isolated populations are at risk due to poorly managed development and other threats.

Take action!  Please tell the USFWS that the Gunnison sage grouse needs protection immediately.

The USFWS has a chance to save the Gunnison sage grouse from extinction by protecting this bird under the Endangered Species Act and designating the habitat that the birds need to survive as “critical habitat”.  In Utah, roughly 3,000 acres of redrock wilderness overlaps with the proposed critical habitat designation.

Decisive actions like these could put these birds on the road to recovery, but the USFWS needs to hear from you.  Take action!  Please send USFWS director Dan Ashe an email in support of protecting the Gunnison sage grouse.

Thank you for helping to make sure that future generations can marvel at the Gunnison sage grouse.

For more information, read this recent New York Times op-ed urging the USFWS to protect the Gunnison sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to protect America’s redrock wilderness!

Later this spring, redrock champions Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) will re-introduce America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, legislation that would protect over 9 million acres of spectacular public lands in Utah.

Having a long list of original cosponsors – those other members of Congress who sign on in support of the bill – from throughout the country at the time of introduction will help display our strength as Utah wilderness advocates.

Will you help us add to this list?

Here are 3 easy actions you can take:

1) Send an email to your members of Congress by clicking here.

2) Sign our new petition to Congress by clicking here.

3) Share our Take Action image on Facebook here.

Thank you for helping to protect America’s redrock wilderness!



Redrock activists make the difference in DC

Wilderness Week activists from Utah meet with the White House Council on Environmental Quality about protecting Greater Canyonlands.

We can never overstate how much grassroots support for protecting Utah wilderness has helped to advance the cause.  For the Utah Wilderness Coalition’s biannual Wilderness Week in Washington, DC, about 31 fabulous redrock activists traveled from Utah and across the country to ask members of Congress to cosponsor America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (ARRWA), a piece of legislation that would protect over 9 million acres of Utah wilderness.  Utah activists also met with administration officials about protecting Greater Canyonlands and urged members of Congress to defend the President’s authority to designate national monuments through the Antiquities Act.  They even perservered through a storm that resulted in many cancelled flights and extra days in DC.  Thanks to all of this year’s Wilderness Week participants!

Read more on our blog here.

Click here for more photos from the week.

Spring is here: time to get involved in the Utah wilderness campaign!


In addition to the inspiring activism by the Wilderness Week participants mentioned above, redrock activists throughout the country have been busy advocating for Utah wilderness protection.  Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Friends for Utah Wilderness collected 500 postcards in support of protecting Greater Canyonlands and America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act at a local event.  And the Mainers for Utah Wilderness have begun a letter collecting drive to convince their new senator to cosponsor ARRWA!

Click here to let us know how YOU want to help out with the Utah wilderness campaign.

The Moab Earth Day Bazaar will once again celebrate an “Ode to Greater Canyonlands”.  Click here to RSVP and invite friends on Facebook.

Also, SUWA’s grassroots organizers are back in action in the East and Midwest regions!

Click here for the upcoming schedule of presentations and events. To suggest a venue or group for a presentation in your area, please contact Clayton (clayton@suwa.org) in the Midwest and Jackie (jackie@suwa.org) in the East.


Sign the petition to protect Greater Canyonlands

Here’s what is happening this month with the redrock:

1. New signature campaign against Governor Herbert’s public land grab.
2. Greater Canyonlands becomes a hot topic in the Utah State Legislature.
3. Help protect the President’s ability to designate national monuments.
4. SUWA & our partners file a lawsuit to protect Desolation Canyon.
5. Hear our thoughts on Interior Secretary nominee Sally Jewell.

“For Kids and Lands” launches signature campaign against Gov. Herbert’s public land grab

An exciting new group in Utah is speaking out against Utah Governor Herbert’s public land grab, and they are asking Utah citizens to help them.

“For Kids and Lands” is an informal group of educators, community leaders, and other citizens who care about Utah’s kids and landscapes.  In their words, “We came together because we are concerned that efforts by the state of Utah to assert ownership over publicly-owned federal lands in Utah would not benefit – in fact would harm – both of these precious resources.”

The group has drafted a position statement – endorsed by over 50 community leaders and educators – opposing the state of Utah’s efforts to claim ownership over federal public lands and dirt routes crossing federal lands.  Instead, they call for another path: “realistic solutions for education funding and stewardship of public lands.”

How you can help:  Go to www.forkidsandlands.org and add your name.  Please help spread the word on Facebook and encourage your
friends to sign too!

This action is important because Utah legislators are poised to pass a new bill that would further advance Gov. Herbert’s public land grab agenda.  The bill instructs the state’s Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office to “identify a process for the state to transfer and receive title to public lands.”

Greater Canyonlands discussion heats up in the Utah State Legislature

Terry Tempest Williams, Utah Senator James Dabakis and Mark Ritchie of Black Diamond Equipment testifying at the Greater Canyonlands hearing

On February 5, Utah State Senator Jim Dabakis and State Representative Patrice Arent introduced a resolution in the Utah legislature in support of Congressional or Executive action to protect Greater Canyonlands—a watershed moment in the effort to preserve this landscape for future generations.

Two days later, and with less than 24 hours notice, Utah wilderness supporters packed a hearing room at the Utah State Capitol to support Sen. Dabakis’ resolution.  The Utah Senate Natural

Resources committee listened to testimony from Mark Ritchie, COO of Black Diamond Equipment, and Terry Tempest Williams, among others. Mark Ritchie spoke of Greater Canyonlands’ importance as a resource that helps to support Utah’s $5 billion a year outdoor recreation industry. author Terry Tempest Williams spoke of Greater Canyonlands as a “a spiritual reservoir” and “a geologic truth that belongs to all of us.”  Only one person was present to speak against the resolution.

The committee members were very polite and talked about the need to protect Greater Canyonlands (with some disagreement about what
“protection” means).  Then they voted to take up the resolution during Interim Committee – which is a victory (they could have just killed it).  The bottom line is that thanks to you, and the thousands of supporters of protection for America’s redrock wilderness across the country, we are moving forward.

If you haven’t already, please become a citizen co-signer of the resolution by clicking here.  You don’t have to be a Utah citizen to participate!

For more ways you can help protect the Greater Canyonlands region, visit greatercanyonlands.org and “like” the Protect Greater Canyonlands page on Facebook.



The Antiquities Act is under attack!

Thanks to the Antiquities Act, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was protected in 1996.  Photo copyright James Kay.

It’s been an exciting few weeks with support building to protect the Greater Canyonlands every day!  But if we let our guard down we could lose the best tool to protect the Greater Canyonlands – the Antiquities Act.  This law, passed in 1906 and championed by Teddy Roosevelt, gives the President the authority to protect threatened public land as a national monument.  The Antiquities Act has been used dozens of times by presidents of both parties, and was the first step in protecting Arches, Zion, Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon.

In just the first month of Congress, four different bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate that would gut the Antiquities Act – leaving the American people with little hope of protecting treasured places with a Congress that is stubbornly stalling wilderness legislation

Help protect the Antiquities Act – Contact your members of Congress today!



Still fighting for the Desolation Canyon proposed wilderness


At the end of January, SUWA and a coalition of conservation groups filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Salt Lake City challenging the Interior Department’s decision to allow nearly 1,300 new oil and gas wells in Utah’s Desolation Canyon region.

Approved last year, the “Gasco project” was heavily criticized in editorials across the country but calls for a compromise decision were rejected by Secretary Salazar.  The drilling project was also roundly decried by congressional leaders, representatives from the outdoor industry, and environmental leaders who called on the Interior Department to protect Desolation Canyon while allowing a reasonable level of development in less sensitive areas.

Read more by clicking here.



Our take on Interior Secretary nominee Sally Jewell


SUWA Legislative Director Richard Peterson-Cremer on Interior Secretary nominee Sally Jewell:

“We are gladdened to see this impressive nominee to be the next Secretary of the Interior. Sally Jewell has a tremendous record supporting important conservation measures while also understanding the numerous uses of our public lands.  Importantly for Utah, she is well-versed in the importance of the outdoor recreation economy and the crucial role that protected public lands play in its success. We look forward to working with Ms. Jewell in the coming years to further protect Utah’s redrock.”



Sign the petition to protect Greater Canyonlands

The following ad ran in the Moab Sun News and the Moab Times-Independent today:

According to a recent bipartisan poll released by Colorado College, Western voters — including Utahns — want to see their public lands protected. Seventy-four percent of Utahns polled said public lands “support the economy, provide recreation opportunities and enhance quality of life . . .”

“Westerners see the permanent protection of their public lands as an economic imperative, and essential to their quality of life,” said Colorado College economist and State of the Rockies Project faculty director Walt Hecox, PhD. “Decision makers would do well to take notice and cure the often one-sided tendency to pursue development rather than protection that we’ve seen emerge over the last four years.”

Highlights from survey of six Western states:

• 79 percent believe public lands support their economy and enhance their overall quality of life.

• 74 percent believe our national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas help attract high quality employers and good jobs to their state.

• 71 percent believe selling off public lands to corporations for development will hurt their economy and quality of life.

• 52 percent perceive public lands to be a job creator in their state.

Highlights from Utah survey:

• Voters in Utah are avid supporters of public lands, with 74% believing public lands in the state support the economy, provide recreation opportunities and enhance quality of life, rather than being a fiscal burden and preventing creation of jobs in traditional industries.

• By a nearly unanimous margin (96% agree/3% disagree), Utah voters say that public lands are an essential part of the state’s economy.

• Utahans also see public lands as a job creator in the state, with 77% of voters agreeing that national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas help attract high quality employers and good jobs to Utah.

• A majority of Utah voters oppose selling some federal public lands as a way to reduce the nation’s budget deficit (37% support/57% oppose).

• Support for selling off public lands is further diminished when voters are presented with arguments on both sides of the issue. After hearing a simulation of the debate on this issue, just 26% of Utah voters support selling some public lands, while 67% oppose it.

• By a strong consensus (62%), voters say environmentally sensitive places on public lands should be permanently protected from drilling.