Thank you for standing up for the Arctic! With your help, The Wilderness Society and partner groups delivered an astounding 280,000 letters to the Obama administration last month, asking for a roll-back of Bush-era plans to open sensitive Arctic waters to oil and gas development. Together we sent a resounding message to the Department of the Interior, which we hope will result in a science-based plan for the Arctic's future. Much more work remains to be done to ensure that the Arctic ecosystem is protected. But thanks to the generosity of so many WildAlert subscribers, we are better fortified to do the work that will lead to that outcome.

And more positive news on an initiative we recommended to the new administration to help address climate change on our landscapes. For the first time ever, the Interior Secretary has directed the agency to set up a new mechanism for the diverse land management agencies within the Department to address climate change in an integrated, coordinated way.

Did you catch the Ken Burns series The National Parks: America's Best Idea on PBS last week? In his usual brilliant fashion, Burns captures the passion of place that has inspired so many of us to care for our national lands, and reminds us how very fortunate we are to have them. Burns recently sat down with us to discuss his documentary. Watch the interview here.

If you're seeking a bit of inspiration today, click here to take a walk through wilderness, courtesy of our wilderness photo contest. Thank you to all who participated.

Best Wishes,

Kathy Kilmer
The Wilderness Society

Take Action

Last week, the Senate introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Like the historic climate and energy bill passed by the House in June, the Senate bill will limit dangerous greenhouse gases and provide resource managers with funding to protect our wild lands from the impacts of climate change. Our opponents have devoted tens of millions of dollars to defeating this long-needed bill. We need your help to push back. Take action now.

Inside Story

Strides For Restoring Salmon Habitat in Washington

Good news for salmon in Washington! Through our work coordinating a diverse coalition in Washington state, salmon habitat on the battered Skokomish River recently scored a win. Over the years, road construction, clear-cut logging, and dams, among other factors, have significantly altered the character of the Skokomish River, degrading fish habitat and altering the ecology of the riparian zone. But in September, a major barrier to the salmon's passage disappeared thanks to the half-million dollar fish-passage project led by the Skokomish Watershed Action Team, which The Wilderness Society coordinates. The end result was the opening up of three more miles of the river for fish spawning.

The project is part of a remarkable collaboration that has "turned the Skokomish watershed from a poster child for bad forestry to a poster child for collaborative habitat restoration," said Mike Anderson, senior resource analyst for the Northwest regional office of The Wilderness Society. Read the full story here.

In the News

Senate Introduces Climate Jobs Bill

At last, the Senate has introduced its version of the climate jobs bill. In addition to the many provisions that will jumpstart clean energy development and deployment of energy efficient technologies, The Clean Energy Jobs bill also contains important provisions for coping with the current and ongoing effects of global warming on our natural resources. Learn more with the JP Leous climate blog.

Wilderness Society Joins Dave Matthews Band Eco-village

On September 19 and 20, The Wilderness Society joined the Dave Matthews Band "Eco-village," at concerts in New Jersey. While there, we spoke to hundreds of fans about wilderness and the importance of protecting our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas. Read the story here.

Courts Rule In Favor of Mojave Desert

Great news! A federal court has sided with us in ruling that 5,000 miles of off-highway vehicle (OHV) routes in the Western Mojave Desert were added inappropriately. A day later, a federal court sided with us in a separate ruling that could help us preserve California forests that provide refuge to the imperiled California Condor. Read the whole story.