Friends of the Red Desert Runs Intensive Campaign

by Steff Kessler

The effort to gain protection for the Red Desert continues to build momentum and gain new allies. Friends of the Red Desert (FRD) is a newly-formed, loose-knit coalition of conservation, recreation, education, business and Native American groups committed to permanent protection for the desert's natural, cultural and historic values. Chartered under state law as a nonprofit, FRD currently has more than 50 group members, including WOC.

This spring, the coalition launched an intensive public- education and outreach campaign to generate support for safeguarding the Jack Morrow Hills area of the desert from further oil and gas development.

For several years, the Bureau of Land Management has been developing the Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan. The area contains a high concentration of many of the desert's special features, including seven wilderness study areas, two proposed National Natural Landmarks, many important Native American sites, segments of historic pioneer trails, several rare plant species and crucial habitat for elk, deer and antelope.

Boar's Tusk Photo by Mike McClure

Since all of the BLM's proposed oil and gas development alternatives failed to protect this magnificent area, Friends of the Red Desert, along with other groups, crafted the "Citizen's Wildlife and Wildlands Alternative."

Starting in March, Friends of the Red Desert hired seven temporary organizers to work in Fremont, Sweetwater and Albany counties, reaching out to a broad range of constituencies: hunters and anglers, recreationists, rock-hounds, Native Americans, elected officials, young people and civic clubs, as well as the general public. Organizers made scores of slide show presentations and convened meetings across the state to generate interest and dialogue about the desert's special features.

FRD opened an office in downtown Rock Springs. Community organizers Katharine Collins and Scott Boettcher organized a tremendous turnout at the BLM's Rock Springs public hearing. An overwhelming majority of those who testified supported the Citizen's Wildlife and Wildlands Alternative.

Another element of the campaign involved reaching out to the Native American community of the Wind River Reservation, with extraordinary work accomplished by our key organizer there, Martin Blackburn. Martin and tribal activist Dick Baldes, along with WOC's Mac Blewer, presented slide shows and talks, along with traditional feasts, in Arapaho, Ethete and Fort Washakie. Reservation residents engaged in spirited discussions about protecting Native American cultural and holy sites on these lands, which were part of the original Wind River Reservation from the Treaty of 1863. A number of reservation residents testified at the BLM hearing in Lander, where Shoshone elder Starr Weed started the meeting with a traditional blessing.

FRD hired three more organizers for the Lander, Laramie and Front Range areas. Marian Doane helped ensure a large turnout of concerned citizens at the Lander BLM hearing. Laramie organizers Eric Bonds and Angie Young not only recruited people to drive over to the Rock Springs hearing, but then hosted their own public hearing in Laramie, where 47 of 48 speakers advocated protecting the Jack Morrow Hills area.

Overall, the campaign was a huge success. Many thanks to all of you who worked so hard on this effort!

For more information and to read the details of the Citizen's Wildlife and Wildlands Alternative, visit Friends of the Red Desert's website at www.reddesert.org.