What a sight!  A swarm of red rock activists greeted President Obama last week on the University of Colorado Boulder campus with a sea of bright yellow Protect Greater Canyonlands signs.  Standing several rows deep on a raised hillside with signs aloft, the group – and its enthusiasm – was impossible to miss!

Photo of the Boulder Banner Brigade taken by Gina Iannelli

With a collective yelp of frustration, however, this devoted group watched the motorcade approach and then – apparently due to a last minute surprise decision – detour around to another part of Boulder to visit a pizza parlor!  Who would have known?

Still, as many of us have learned, persistence often pays off, and it did in this case.  A few hours later, after his speech on campus, the President and his motorcade drove right past this fantastic showing of support for protecting Greater Canyonlands.  And he couldn’t have missed the message echoing from sign to sign.

Plus, two creative activists loaded their signs on to their bikes and again intercepted the motorcade on its way to the airport, reinforcing our message!  President Obama was waving and looking right out the window, and as the only demonstrators on site they were unavoidably visible.

The banner brigade also caught the eye of the media!  While they didn’t end up running an interview with Arnaud Dumont of Coloradans for Utah Wilderness, the banner brigade did get a few seconds of screen visibility in this story: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30946994/detail.html

A big thanks to everyone who turned out!  Great work!

This banner brigade is the fourth and largest “bannering” effort in Colorado.  Our goal is to continue showing up with our bright yellow signs whenever President Obama visits the state – which he is already scheduled to do again on May 23 in Colorado Springs.  So if you live in Colorado and would like to be on our list of potential banner brigaders, let us know: sign up by clicking here or send an email to terri@suwa.org.  It’s a great way to capture the President’s attention and have some fun!

Posted by Terri Martin

One of the most iconic overlooks in all of southern Utah is Dead Horse Point.  But while your viewing platform is part of Dead Horse Point State Park, the spectacular scenery below is not fully protected.  Take a look at this photograph, “Dead Horse Point at Sunrise” by Glenn Randall:

The far side of the river and the canyons in the background are protected as part of Canyonlands National Park – the White Rim Trail.  The gooseneck of the Colorado River and the land to the left have been left unprotected.  What you can’t see in this photograph is that further left, potash mining is taking place – still in view from the Dead Horse Point overlook.

Posted by Jackie Feinberg

Here’s what is happening this month with the redrock:
1.  Support for protecting Desolation Canyon spreads nationwide.
2.  Today Fort Ord, can Greater Canyonlands be next?
3.  House continues its war on wilderness.
4.  Attend events in Moab and Boulder, CO to celebrate Greater Canyonlands!


Drumbeat continues against Desolation Canyon drilling proposal

Last month, we told you about the Interior Department’s ill-conceived plan to allow Gasco to drill over 200 natural gas wells in the Desolation Canyon proposed wilderness.

This photo is of Desolation Canyon – at the Sand Wash airstrip looking north to the Sand Wash put-in. Drilling of gas wells proposed by the Obama administration could be seen and heard from this site.

Since then, voices from across the country have stood up and urged Interior to instead adopt an alternative proposal that would spare Desolation Canyon’s wild lands from the impacts of energy development.

In the past month, the Salt Lake Tribune has not once, but twice declared that this is not the way to do things.  The New York Times also editorialized against this boondoggle. The Akron Beacon-Journal in northeast Ohio joined in on the criticism of the project.

Additionally, six public lands champions in Congress sent the Obama administration a letter asking Interior to fix the Desolation Canyon drilling plan.

But most importantly,YOU have taken action against drilling in the Desolation Canyon proposed wilderness, sending almost 20,000 messages to the Obama administration so far through action alerts and petition signatures.

Let’s keep up the drumbeat! While the initial “waiting period” for the final decision on this proposal ended on April 16, the BLM hasn’t issued its ‘record of decision’ for the Gasco project and can still change its mind about which alternative to adopt.

You can help spread the word by sharing our Change.org petition throughout your social networks — tell your friends to also take action to protect Desolation Canyon!


Obama declares second national monument – what will be next?


Today, Friday, April 20, President Obama designated the second national monument of his first term by protecting Fort Ord in California.  Has he caught a serious case of monument fever?

Colorado College students are wild about protecting Greater Canyonlands!

That has yet to be determined, but Greater Canyonlands supporters across the country sure have.  From participating in our Facebook campaign to waving “President Obama: Protect Greater Canyonlands” signs at events, redrock activists are going wild about protecting Greater Canyonlands.

Last week, college students from Colorado College donned bright yellow and black “Tell President Obama: Protect Greater Canyonlands” t-shirts when Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited campus.  Elsewhere around Colorado, college students have been busy collecting postcards and Facebook messages in support of the campaign.  And local organizations in Moab are planning to celebrate Greater Canyonlands as part of their Earth Day celebration.

Want to help convince President Obama to make Greater Canyonlands the next national monument? Here’s how:

1) “Like” the Protect Greater Canyonlands Facebook page and invite friends to “like” the page as well.

2) Send a photo message to President Obama and use it to spread the word about protecting Greater Canyonlands.  Visit our Facebook app or greatercanyonlands.org to get started.  You’ll also be entered to win a prize in a monthly drawing — a Petzl headlamp is the prize for May!

3) Send President Obama an email message by clicking here.

4) Visit greatercanyonlands.org to find out other ways that you can amplify your message to President Obama.


Angling to chip away at conservation, House passes flawed “hunting” bill

This week the House of Representatives passed a deeply flawed “hunting” bill, H.R. 4099, chipping away wilderness and Wilderness Study Area protections, and watering down the President’s authority to designate national monuments under the Antiquities Act.

The latter occurred when the House passed an amendment requiring national monument designations to be approved by the state legislatures and governor of the host state. Had such provisions been in effect previously, national treasures like Arches, Bryce and Zion National Parks, and the Grand Tetons National Park would not have been protected by the short-sighted Utah and Wyoming legislatures of the time.

And though it was ostensibly about guaranteeing hunting and fishing rights on federal land (rights which are already robustly protected, and which we support), the effective language of the bill raised concern it would allow commercial development and motorized use in areas managed as wilderness if those activities could be justified by hunting or fishing. An amendment to clarify such activities would not be allowed failed, indicating that indeed, the intent was chip away at habitats—not protect hunters.

It’s now up to the Senate to keep this bad bill language—which guts the Antiquities Act and tramples wilderness—off of the President’s desk.


Celebrate Greater Canyonlands in Moab, UT and Boulder, CO!

Planning to be in southeastern Utah tomorrow, Saturday, April 21?  Don’t miss the 1st Annual Moab Earth Day Bazaar: An Ode to Greater Canyonlands! This free event starts at 11 a.m. at Swanny Park.  Click here for more information.

Next month, renowned climbers Lynn Hill and Steve “Crusher” Bartlett will talk about the Greater Canyonlands region as a resource for climbers and a place worthy of protection at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, CO on May 17.  More info coming soon!  Email Jackie at jackie@suwa.org with questions.


Sign the petition to protect Greater Canyonlands

Posted by admin

What is the Greater Canyonlands area and how can the Moab community come together to ensure that it forever remains a wild, awe-inspiring landscape?  With this question in mind, the 1^st Annual Moab Earth Day Bazaar: An Ode to Greater Canyonlands was born.  Starting at 11am on Saturday, April 21^st, Swanny Park in Moab, Utah will transform into a community gathering space featuring local music, organizations, craft and food vendors, children’s activities and the opportunity to learn about projects that would affect our beloved public lands.

Two months ago, a group of locals sat around a kitchen table discussing ways to bring the Moab community together.  The goal of this discussion was to find a way to both celebrate the wild and remote lands that we love and to start a dialog around what the future may hold for these places.  Recognizing that a truly inclusive community event requires the ability to openly share thoughts and ideas as well as garner support from local businesses and organizations, the group emerged from the kitchen brainstorming session with plans for a day-long marketplace of music, crafts, food and learning opportunities.

The Moab Earth Day Bazaar intends to fulfill this vision by celebrating Greater Canyonlands and, in doing so, opening a conversation within our community on what the future holds for this region.  By definition, Greater Canyonlands refers to the large, intact ecosystem surrounding Canyonlands National Park — an awe-inspiring landscape that includes iconic areas such as Labyrinth Canyon, Robber’s Roost, Indian Creek and White Canyon.  The Earth Day Bazaar schedule will include informal discussion sessions where folks can learn more about some of the current issues affecting this region.

In addition, it wouldn’t be a proper Earth Day Bazaar without celebrating Moab’s abundance of creative, inspiring local musicians and merchants.  Local art, craft and food vendors will transform Swanny Park into a community marketplace as they peddle their wares to the sounds of local musicians, including perennial favorite Stonefed.

Finally, because it wouldn’t be a community event without the kids, the Earth Day Bazaar will feature a Kid’s Corner including interactive games, hula hooping, face painting, children’s yoga and much more.  Bring the family and spend the afternoon enjoying all that our wonderful community offers.

Please join us at Swanny Park on Saturday, April 21^st, for the 1^st Annual Moab Earth Day Bazaar: An Ode to Greater Canyonlands.  Admission is FREE.

Many thanks to the individuals, businesses and organizations involved in the Moab Earth Day Bazaar so far, including: April Rose Creations, Canyon Country Rising Tide, Canyon Nursery, Canyonlands Field Institute, Castle Valley Creamery, Cherry Creek Hills, Damselfly, Grand Canyon Trust, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Jerry Shue, KZMU, Moab Pride, Moonflower Arts, Move to Amend, Native American Club, One-of-a-Kind Tye Dye, Sierra Club, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Subvert, Sundial Gardens, Triassic Industries, Living Rivers, Moab Folk Festival, Moab Solutions, No Green River Nuke, Quesadilla Mobilla, Uranium Watch, Victoria White Eagle, WabiSabi, Wicked Brew, and Wise Raven Herbs.

Posted by Neal Clark