Much has been written about the death of environmentalism in the last few months but I think it is premature to be writing any obituaries. In this issue of Frontline, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that in Wyoming, many good people are deeply committed to protecting our unique quality of life and natural heritage for generations to come. This news doesn’t sell newspapers, but it does give meaning to where we live.

This August, after 14 years away, I came back to Wyoming with my wife right after our marriage. Returning was an opportunity for me to give back something to this great state. In 1986 through 1991, I worked as a wrangler and guide for an outfitter on Togwotee Pass and spent the winter of ’91 as a snowmachine guide. For a Minnesota boy, the Wyoming landscape was transcendent, whether on horse, sled or foot.

I left Wyoming for other work, not really thinking it was possible to get back again. But we did, and now my child come April has the chance to grow up in the Cowboy State. How lucky is he or she?

I joined the Wyoming Outdoor Council because I believed in what they stood for; I respected their history, and I wanted to engage all people interested in protecting Wyoming’s quality of life. Not just those who agreed with me, but also those who shared the same values with me but didn’t necessarily use the same language.

As you all know, Tom Bell and a host of other folks concerned about the future of Wyoming’s environment formed the Wyoming Coordinating Council in 1967 with the belief that things could be better, that they should be better, and that we can work together to make them so. Those beliefs continue to motivate and guide our work today.

The gathering of stories in this Frontline is evidence of their beliefs. We’ve just come out of the legislative process. I spent a number of weeks down in Cheyenne, meeting people, working on issues, and getting to know Wyoming’s political arena. As most of you know, it’s a messy one, this governing system of ours. But in spite of that, we had some important successes.

The Split Estate Bill passed, after years of trying, compromising and heartache. And, after great effort by the people of Wyoming, the Wildlife Trust Fund was passed with $15 million attached. It wasn’t pretty, but in the end, the trust fund bill was too good a bill to pass up, so it was signed into law.

These were the two key environmental bills that succeeded. There was plenty of other activity around the capital to keep me busy as well. And so we leave the legislative process to get back to our lives, with the understanding that legislation wasn’t meant to solve our problems, only to help guide our solutions.

In this edition of Frontline, and in our recently published Annual Report, we have highlighted some of the folks who are doing important work around Wyoming. We hope you enjoy their stories. In the spirit of Easter, our work is about renewal, not death.

Happy Trails,

Mark