BRC Recreation News

COLORADO:
I see that the media is reacting to public opposition to the Hidden Gems proposal. How did they react, you ask? By initiating a full-on public relations campaign in support of the radical greenies, of course!
Hidden Gem of the Week: Basalt Mountain
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/139097

Also:
On the trail: Bad apples
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100205/NEWS/100209886/1077&ParentProfile=1058           

ILLINOIS
Proposed legislation targets ATV riders
http://alturl.com/h367 

CALIFORNIA
LOIS HENRY: Kicking us off our own land is just flat wrong
http://alturl.com/xfwj

Sleeping giant waking up...
Lassen supes don't like travel plan either
http://blogs.redding.com/bross/archives/2010/02/lassen-supes-do.html

UTAH:
Utah's Bishop emerges as a player, though still in the minority
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14349161

MONTANA
Senator Jon Tester has (finally) announced what changes he will make to his oddly named Forest Jobs and Recreation Act. The article below has links to the specific changes.
Tester announces changes to Montana jobs, wilderness bill
http://alturl.com/85sv

Rehberg wants wilderness 'phase-in'
http://alturl.com/vq6e

Society deserts wilderness principles with Tester bill
http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_081f1b54-1208-11df-80c9-001cc4c002e0.html

Forest bill: Unrealistic goals?
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/opinion/editorials/article_019584b4-13b4-11df-8c0d-001cc4c03286.html   
Quote of the day:
    Whatever merits the bill has and however well-intended Sen. Tester is, Montanans should be leery about buying into the pitch that it will be an automatic timber job generator.

BRC Land Use University
Below is a handy link for access advocates who are constantly battling the old canard that "millions of acres are lost to development each year." Actually, the opposite is true, and the website Conservation Almanac is keeping track.
http://www.conservationalmanac.org/secure/

    The Conservation Almanac covers land area conservation activity across the United States. The project grew out of the many requests The Trust for Public Land has received for data to understand the "context" for land conservation and the growing conservation finance movement. Elected officials, journalists, foundations and others want to know things like:

    * How much land has been protected in my state?
    * Which state and federal agencies have protected lands in the state?
    * With all the new money being created for land conservation, what kind of impact are we getting?
    * What policies and programs might help us make progress in reaching our conservation objectives?

AUSTRALIA: 
UPDATE FROM DOWN UNDER
A while back we included a blurb about the internal strife in Australia's The Wilderness Society. According to the story below, the beleaguered leadership hired a law firm to shut down a meeting of the Society's "disaffected" members and staff. I guess you could give them credit for at least being consistent!!
Legal threat to wilderness group plans for debate
http://alturl.com/9ry3