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Save America's Last Wild Forests
Greetings,
With the national college basketball championship set
to tip off, the Heritage Forests Campaign is asking the Obama
administration to give our forests a "time out".
President Obama has been a strong supporter of the Roadless Area
Conservation Rule, a popular and balanced environmental policy
that protects nearly 60 million acres of undeveloped national
forests. However, efforts by the previous administration to
replace it with its own roadless policy offering far weaker
protections have rendered its legal status unclear. As a result,
some of our most pristine forestlands are at risk to logging,
mining, road building and other industrial activity.
The Heritage Forests Campaign and Pew Environment Group have
launched both print and television ads to bring awareness to
this important public lands issue. Visit the Time Out!
website to find out more.
We need your help. Please send the letter
below, asking the newly appointed Secretary of Agriculture Tom
Vilsack, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, to implement an
immediate "time out" on road-building and other activities on
these pristine national forestlands. This immediate action would
provide protection to these areas until the necessary steps can
be taken to fully reinstate the Roadless Rule.
Thanks for your help,
The Heritage Forests Campaign Team
Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Secretary Tom Vilsack
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Give Our Forests a Time Out!
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
President Barack Obama has been a strong supporter of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a popular environmental policy that preserves 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in our national forests. But after repeated attempts by the Bush administration to undercut its protections, the rule's status is uncertain. Consequently, some of our country's most pristine national forests are at risk.
We ask you to call for an immediate "time out" on road-building and other activities in our undeveloped national forestlands - including Alaska's Tongass National Forest - until the necessary steps can be taken to fully reinstate the roadless rule Such action would be consistent with President Obama's support for the policy and ensure these areas are not threatened until more permanent protection can be implemented.
Roadless areas are a vital part of our national forests. They provide clean drinking water for millions of Americans, critical habitat for fish and wildlife, and offer recreational opportunities for our families. They should be protected, because once they're gone, they're gone forever.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
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