Tell the Forest Service to stop mowing our wild grasslands

The Forest Service has just released a management plan for our National Grasslands. The plan shortchanges our wilderness heritage and opens more wildlife habitat to oil and gas development. Let them know what you think! Your input is needed by January 22.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Strengthen Grasslands Plan

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am concerned that your proposed management plan does not adequately prioritize habitat and wildnerness protection and restoration. More than ever, our National Grasslands are in need of sound management. Please include the following in your Final Plan.

+Manage for healthy populations of all native species on all National Grasslands. Priority should be given to adequately protect imperiled species and to restore native species.

+Rest one-third of National Grasslands from livestock grazing annually, to allow adequate amounts of taller grasses necessary for several wildlife species. Livestock should also be kept away from streams and wetlands.

+Restore wild bison on our National Grasslands, specifically on lands bordering Badlands National Park and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and Soldier Creek Wilderness in the Nebraska National Forest.

+Prohibit oil and gas development where it is incompatible with other uses, such as proposed wilderness areas. Placement of fixed structures should be denied for all remaining roadless, special interest, and research natural areas and other important wildlife and recreation areas.

+Propose all remaining roadless grassland areas for wilderness designation (45 areas totaling only 574,000 acres). This is the best way to preserve the natural character of these few remaining wild areas.

Please consider these official comments on your proposed plan. I look forward to hearing your final decision.

Thank you for protecting America's heritage for America's public.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
January 07, 2002

Background Information

The grasslands of the Great Plains were once some of the wildest wilderness around -- an ocean of grass crawling with massive herds of bison, pronghorn and elk, grizzlies and wolves. Sound like the Great Plains' grasslands you think of? Probably not. That's because most of this wilderness is gone and much of the prairie has been turned into farmland or oil fields.

Like many of our wild places these National Grasslands are supposed to be managed and preserved for all Americans, but instead our public land managers have treated them like a resource to be exploited. The folks charged with stewardship over these lands have been busy dessimating much of the wildlife to make room for livestock grazing and energy development.

The Forest Service just released a brand new plan for our grasslands. But unfortunately it reads suspiciously like the sad old practices we want to avoid. In fact, the plan actually reduces the amount of land recommended for wilderness and opens even more wildlife habitat to oil and gas development.

Don't lose hope. We have until January 22nd to tell the forest service what kind of plan we want for OUR grasslands. We can use this opportunity to protect some of the most outstanding examples of prairie left in public ownership.

Take action NOW.