This is the fourth year The Wilderness Society has prepared such a report. Yellowstone made its debut in 1999. This year's document cited ORV traffic as the fastest growing threat to the nation's wild places. Other significant environmental problems listed in the report include livestock grazing, water diversion, logging, invasive weeds, mining, mismanaged recreation, noise pollution, and road building. So, as Americans head out to enjoy our national parks, forests, and other open spaces this Memorial Day weekend, I urge them to call or send letters to their U.S. senators telling them to support this legislation.
Designation provides greater protection for special historic and scientifically significant lands.
To combat the threat posed by off-road vehicles, TWS has launched a nationwide campaign calling for the protection of national lands from the destruction they cause. Meadows applauded the Park Service for recently taking important first steps by recommending bans on snowmobiles and motorized personal watercraft in most national parks. They shouldn't be allowed to rip up public lands that belong to all Americans, especially when there are hundreds of thousands of miles of routes on America's public lands that are already open for use by dirt bikes and other ORVs. Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society works to preserve America's wilderness and to develop a network of wildlands through public education, scientific analysis and advocacy. Our goal is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, wildlife, natural beauty, opportunities for recreation and spiritual renewal that protected forests, rivers, deserts and mountains provide.