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National Sierra Club seeks wilderness designations in Southern California

My fellow mountain bikers and lovers of the forest,

Many of you have are aware of the attempt to declare wilderness designations in the National Forest in Orange County. We thank BIKE Magazine and BIKE writer and Warrior's Society member Shidan Towfiq for bringing this to everyone's attention.

Mountain bikers organized and we successfully lobbied to prevent to loss of our trails. We must realize that mountain bikers have the political power to fight efforts such as this if we'd only get off our butt's and get involved. If areas are lost to us it is because we are too lazy to make our voices heard.

Mountain bikers can accomplish so much if we'd just join together with other recreational forest visitors and fight those who want to keep us out of the forest.

We must all realize that there are irresponsible hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, Off-roaders etc. No single group can claim the mantle of the "protector" of the forest. If we continue to be divided those who wish to destroy the forest will triumph.

United no one will stand against us.

There are still areas of the forest in California and nationwide where wilderness designations are being sought, maybe near you. Please contact the individuals listed below (or your own senators and local National Forest offices), and ask that no wilderness designations be established that effect mountain biking and that another designation be used instead. Stress the importance of the input from the local community in determining the status of roads and access that have historically existed in proposed roadless areas.

Please take a moment NOW to write an important letter to Senator Barbara Boxer. Here's why: We have met in person with Sen. Boxer's staff, who tells us that they are working on a wilderness bill that is to get introduced sometime soon. Boxer has been receiving letters from proponents of wilderness; if they do not hear from us, they may assume there would be no opposition by the mtn biking community. Directions on writing letters are included in the information provided by the wilderness links below.

Please click on and read these wilderness alerts and act!!

Wilderness Alert 1

For Orange County posted August 16, 2001

Wilderness Alert 2

For Orange County posted August 23, 2001

Wilderness Alert 3

For Orange County posted August 30, 2001

Wilderness Alert 4

For San Diego Issued By the Blue Ribbon Coalition posted February 2002

Wilderness Alert 5

For San Diego Issued By IMBA Rep. Daniel Greenstadt posted February 2002

Wilderness Alert 6

From IMBA posted February 13, 2002

Wilderness Alert 7

For the Angeles National Forest from the Blue Ribbon Coalition posted March 1, 2002

Wilderness Alert 8

For the San Bernardino National Forest from the Blue Ribbon Coalition posted March 10, 2002

Wilderness Alert 9

Wilderness Ideology - how they think March 15, 2002

Wilderness Alert 10

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) needs your comments to support recreational access in areas proposed for wilderness or other protective designation - April 2002

Wilderness Alert 11

From Trails4All - The text of the California Wild Heritage Campaign/Boxer Wilderness Bill

Wilderness Alert 12

May 11th article from the Orange County Register Newspaper on our victory against wilderness proposals in Orange County

Wilderness Alert 13

June 18, 2002 Wilderness Update

Wilderness Alert 14

July 27, 2002 - The restrictions wilderness designations put on fire prevention and fire fighting as well as email addresses of those you need to contact to voice your opposition

Wilderness Alert 15

August 11, 2002 - Boxer's bill sits in committee and Diane Feinstein seeks exemption from logging and road building to fight and prevent catastrophic fires

Wilderness Alert 16

August 22, 2002 - Senator Boxer and her supporters resort to deception to fool the public into thinking mountain bikers support her wilderness bill by creating a sham organization "Mountain Bikers For Wilderness"

Wilderness Alert 17

August 24, 2002 - Follow up on the Mountain Bikers For Wilderness Organization

Wilderness Alert 18

Wilderness Update for September 2002 - Register to vote and vote - The "Wildlands Project" and the threat it poses to your recreational access

Wilderness Alert 19

October 4, 2002 -The Mountain Biker's For Wilderness are exposed!

Wilderness Alert 20

Senator Feinstein still refuses to endorse Senator Boxer's Wilderness Bill

Wilderness Alert 21

IMBA FINALLY takes action

Wilderness Alert 22

IMBA signs controversial "Joint Statement of Commitments" and agrees to push mountain bikers to support Wilderness Areas. Is IMBA an "access organization" or a "wilderness organization"

Wilderness Alert 23

posted on 2/16/03 Your help needed to gather signatures to petition Senator Feinstein to not support Senator Barbara Boxer's wilderness bill

Wilderness Alert 24

posted on 8/5/03 Senator Barbara Boxer re-introduces her California (statewide) Wilderness. Wilderness proponents are attempting a piecemeal approach to California wilderness designations

Wilderness Alert 25

posted on 11/4/03 California Wilderness Bill Update. Dave Forman a key leader in the push for wilderness designations. IMBA - are they effectively opposing the wilderness designation?

Check out all the areas that the Wilderness Coalition are working on and voice your concerns to the BRC, IMBA or us. Some of the areas they are pushing for wilderness are not shown.

You can be kept informed by and protect your access by supporting organizations that are fighting the wilderness areas that affect you.

The Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC) is one of the most effective organizations fighting for all users access. They understand anti-access activists and use the same methods they use to fight them (lawsuits, Freedom Of Information Act Requests and PAC contributions etc). You can also sign up for their access alerts at www.sharetrails.org

You can also visit the IMBA website where you can sign up on IMBA's California wilderness update list. This list, like the BRC's, will keep you informed on attempts to designate wilderness areas near you and throughout California.

Approach the local chapters of the Sierra Club in your city or town and attempt to work with them to protect the forest by use of alternative designations.

I suggest everyone read Pulitzer-winning environmental reporter Tom Knudson's series entitled "Environment, Inc." where you can view the whole investigative series and accompanied graphics. Part 5 of this series is the philosophy the Warrior's Society believes in.

We must all join together to protect the forest.

Please be courteous and respectful, thoughtless words do us no good. Please pass this email on to your friends and post it on all mountain bike sites. If they don't have email, ask them to call. If you are a bike shop owner, please consider emailing this to your customers and posting a link to a page with this email (and contact information) on your web site. Please put "Against Wilderness Designation" in the subject line of your email.

To print out a flyer that you can hand out with this information click here.

To be put on our email list and be kept informed on this issue and others affecting the Cleveland National Forest in Orange County as well as our trail and mountain bike events click here.

What actions should you take?

1.

In November vote for candidates that support rational management policies

2.

Oppose the Wilderness bill

3.

Vote Senator Boxer out of office in two years

4.

Boycott Patagonia and let them know your feelings regarding their participation in the "Mountain Biker's For Wilderness" fraud

Contact your State Senators and oppose the Wilderness Bill!
PLEASE FAX YOUR LETTERS with the subject line: Oppose Wilderness Bill

Honorable Senator Feinstein
One Post St., #2450
San Francisco, CA 94104

Phone: (415) 393-0707
Email
Fax: (619) 231-1108
Fax: (310) 914-7318
Fax: (415) 989-3242
Fax: (202) 228-3954
Fax: (559) 485-9689

Honorable Senator Boxer
1700 Montgomery St., #240
San Francisco, CA 94111

Phone: (415) 403-0100
Email
Fax: (213) 894-5012
Fax: (909) 888-8613
Fax: (619) 239-5719
Fax: (559) 497-5111
Fax: (415) 956-6701
Fax: (916) 448-2563

The Senators Aide working on the wilderness issue in San Diego is Humberto Peraza

The Senators Aide working on the wilderness issue in Orange/Riverside/San Bernardino is Leannah Bradley

U.S Forest Service Cleveland National Forest
Supervisor's Office
10845 Rancho Bernardo Road, #200
San Diego, CA 92127-2107
(858) 673-6180
Fax - (858) 673-6192
email
California Relay Service
(800) 735-2929 (TTY)
(800) 735-2922 (voice)
Office Hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Monday - Friday

WRITE YOUR CONGRESSPERSON -- Find the name and address of your member of Congress. Ask your member to speak to Representatives Thompson and Solis about bicycling and the Wilderness bill.

Email the Los Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club

Email the National Sierra Club


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