WildAlert February 21, 2006

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Take Action New Hampshire Wilderness Bill Should Include Additional Areas Last November, the Forest Service released its plan for the White Mountain National Forest, recommending that Congress designate 34,500 acres of Wilderness in the Sandwich Range and Wild River. The New Hampshire Congressional delegation has been supportive of a new wilderness bill that would include these Forest Service recommendations, but a wilderness bill should also include additional areas in the Sandwich Range, Pemigewasset, and other areas beloved by New Hampshire residents. We need to let our members of Congress know that a New Hampshire wilderness bill should not fall short. Please click here to take action. Photo above: Pierce Crossing in the Wild River proposed Wilderness Area, White Mountain National Forest, NH. Photo courtesy of Tom Van Vechten. Photo below: Winter scene in the Wild River proposed Wilderness Area, White Mountain National Forest, NH. Photo courtesy of Heather Dowey. What's At Stake The White Mountain National Forest now has five permanently protected Wilderness Areas: the Pemigewasset, Sandwich Range, Presidential Range-Dry River, Great Gulf in New Hampshire and the Caribou/Speckled Mountain where the National Forest dips into Maine. New Hampshire conservationists have their eyes on two new wilderness areas, the Wild River Valley and the Dartmouth Range, and two wilderness extensions for the Sandwich Range and Pemigewasset Area. And they have built an effective coalition to make sure it happens. Last November, the US Forest Service recommended additional designated wilderness in New Hampshire, but the agency failed to point out several treasured places that need wilderness protection. They include: Sandwich Range: Flat Mountain. Wilderness protections should be given to the top of Flat Mountain, its scenic eastern slopes, and the Great Falls on Bennett Street Trail. The current boundary is along the line between Carroll and Grafton Counties and is neither manageable nor identifiable on the ground. Adding Flat Mountain would round out this portion of the Wilderness, while still allowing snowmobiles and mountain bikes to reach Flat Mountain Pond via an open trail. The existing shelter and dam would not be included in the Wilderness Area. Mt. Kancamagus. This legendary landmark overlooks the Scenic Byway of the same name, and would be adjacent to the Greeley Ponds Scenic Area and add important lower mountainside lands to the Wilderness. Both the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests have supported this addition. Wonalancet. It is important to add more of the Kelley Trail, the scenic lower slopes of Mt. Mexico, and all of the beautiful Bickford Trail to the existing Wilderness. Wild River: The Banks of the Wild River. Adding the valley bottom on both sides of the campground road would protect this ecologically rare and valuable low elevation forest and complete the preservation of the entire watershed. The existing Shelburne and Evans Notch snowmobile trails, as well as the Wild River campground and road, would remain open for the public to use. Wildlife corridor to the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness. Adding a corridor to the east of the proposed Wilderness area would create a wildlife corridor to the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness. You Can Help! Please use our action page to send a special message to the New Hampshire delegation. You can send a fax right now from: http://action.wilderness.org/campaign/vernal/nq4jnbtxj? Or, for greater effect, send your own letter, using the sample below. You can look up contact information for your Members of Congress here. For More Information Information about Wilderness in the White Mountains is available at http://www.whywilderness.org Details of the forest plan are at the White Mountain National Forest website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9.white Sample Letter Dear Sen./Rep. ___________: Thank you for supporting wilderness designation for the Wild River area and additions to the Sandwich Range Wilderness. While the Forest Service's 34,500-acre wilderness recommendation is a good start, I urge you to include in legislation Flat Mountain, Wonalancet, Mt. Kancamagus, banks of the Wild River and a wildlife corridor to the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness. The White Mountain National forest is one of the most visited national forests in America. Its granite peaks and crystal clear rivers and streams are being loved to death. While I applaud the Forest Service for their hard work and attempt to find a balance of uses in the forest, I feel their recommendation for 34,500 acres of wilderness falls short. The Forest Service's final plan will allow logging and motorized recreation in treasured New Hampshire roadless areas. Please protect all deserving wild areas in the White Mountain National Forest starting with Sandwich Range and Wild River. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, (Your name and address) The Wilderness Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving American wilderness. Our mission is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, wildlife, beauty, and opportunity for recreation and renewal provided by pristine forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains. As a subscriber to WildAlert, you join more than 300,000 Wilderness Society members and supporters in our efforts to protect and restore America's wild places.

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