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November 17, 2006
New England Welcomes New Wilderness Areas
The New England Wilderness Act of 2006 adds 76,500 acres of Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest and New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest to the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill also creates Moosalamoo - a 17,000 acre National Recreation Area - in the Green Mountain National Forest.
Wilderness is a legacy for all Americans. Now, thanks to the continued hard work of individuals like you and your fellow WildAlert subscribers as well as organizations across New England future generations can count on enjoying some of the region's wildest places.
Take a minute to read about some of these new Wilderness areas. Maybe you've already had a chance to get into these places or have a trip planned. Perhaps they just bring to mind other treasured wild lands. Regardless, your voice helps make wilderness possible. Enjoy.
Photo: Wilderness Valleys in the Green Mountain National Forest. Photo courtesy/copyright George Wuerthner.
Glastenbury Wilderness
Hardwood forests and wetlands are found on 3,748 foot Glastenbury Mountain. The newly formed wilderness area includes critical bear habitat, nesting grounds for forest-dependent birds and known occurrences of rare plants.
The Appalachian Trail and Long Trail cross the area north to south. The Green Mountain Club has described the view from the mountain's historic fire tower as "more wilderness than is to be seen from any other point on the Long Trail," a trail that winds for 270-miles from northern Massachusetts to the Canadian border.
Joseph Battell Wilderness
This area, named for the man that donated much of the land in the northern section of the Green Mountain National Forest, is home to Peregrine Falcon nesting sites and several plant species of concern. Hikers enjoy Long Trail and numerous connecting trails while others enjoy cross-country ski trails and spectacular views from Mount Horrid and the Great Cliffs.
Wild River and Sandwich Range Wilderness
The Act designates approximately 23,700 acres in the area of the Wild River as wilderness and adds approximately 10,800 acres to the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness. Friends of the Sandwich Range and Friends of the Wild River, two local groups, worked tirelessly with area citizens to create and add to wilderness in the region.
Wild River protects a lowland interior valley - forest habitat rarely found in wilderness. The Appalacian Trail runs along the western boundary. Hikers may see signs of moose, bears, fisher, beavers, songbirds and the threatened pine martin.
In the Sandwich Range, existing wilderness was compromised due to the area's irregular shape. Additions will help buffer interior wilderness from logging activities and recreation pressures.
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On
Wednesday,
two of the Northeast's largest unprotected roadless areas were
permanently protected as Wilderness.
Glastenbury Mountain and Wild River Basin are two of the areas
that became Wilderness when the U.S.
House of Representatives approved the New England Wilderness Act
of 2006. The Act now awaits the
President's signature.
Tell-a-friend!