Bringing a bright glimmer of hope for pristine wild places throughout the state, Senator Barbara Boxer and Representatives Thompson and Solis this May introduced the California Wild Heritage Wilderness Act. This bill would permanently protect 2.5 million acres of public land in California as Wilderness and the free-flowing portions of 22 rivers as "Wild and Scenic."
This historic legislation is the result of a long-running grassroots effort by activists to identify and field-check every potentially suitable wilderness area in California. Each place must be at least 5,000 acres in size, already in public ownership, and in a natural, "untrammeled" condition. In areas with Wilderness designation, roads, logging, development, and motorized vehicles are not allowed.

The bill would permanently protect a number of areas in Northwestern California, including land in the Trinity Alps, the King Range, Mad River Buttes, and the South Fork Eel River. Wilderness designation will ensure these wildlands will forever remain in their natural state for the enjoyment of everyone-for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, or boating. Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River designation also gives top protection to clean water, at the source.

With Boxer's legacy Wilderness bill now introduced, support from her fellow Senator Diane Feinstein is essential. Feinstein sits on the Senate Energy Committee, which must pass the bill. Please call or write now and urge her to help protect California's last remaining wildlands:

415-393-0707
One Post Street,
Suite 2450,
San Francisco, CA 94104

"It is crucial that we protect these precious places before it is too late. As of this year, protected wilderness areas account for only 13 percent of the State of California. During the last 20 years, 675,000 acres of unprotected wilderness - approximately the size of Yosemite National Park - have lost their wilderness character due to all sorts of activities such as logging and mining."

- Senator Barbara Boxer