Secretary Zinke’s recent comments about diversity fail to acknowledge how essential inclusion is when it comes to managing our public lands on behalf of all Americans. CalWild strongly urges the Secretary to make earnest efforts to include and incorporate diverse experiences and viewpoints in the Department of Interior’s workforce. That is most important for groups that have historically been excluded from these conversations, including people of color. These groups will be the stewards of our public lands in the generations to come.

Write Secretary Zinke using the form below to convey the importance of these practices.

For more information, please read this op-ed by Chiqui Cartagena of Conservation Lands Foundation and Jose Gonzalez of Latino Outdoors.

The number and intensity of conservation threats from federal legislators since President Trump’s election is mounting. As a result, California state legislators are implementing “backstop” bills like AB2975 to protect federally designated lands and waters at the state level.

AB 2975 is specifically geared towards federal Wild & Scenic Rivers. It’s a simple bill that directs the California Natural Resources Secretary to provide state protection for a federal Wild and Scenic River in response to legislation passed by Congress or an executive order signed by President Trump that either eliminates federal protection for all or part of a National Wild and Scenic River in California. The bill also would provide state protection if Congress or Trump attempts to weaken the provision in the federal act that prohibits new dams, reservoirs, and diversions on a federal river. The bill directs the Resources Secretary to hold a public meeting prior to adding a threatened federal river to the state system.

We need you to write your Assemblymember and tell them to support this bill before June 1st; click below to send a message.

For more than 50 years, the Wilderness Act of 1964 has protected wilderness areas designated by Congress from machines of all types. This has meant, as Congress intended, that Wilderness areas have been kept free from cars, trucks, motor boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, bicycles, and all other types of motorized and mechanized transport so as to protect places with “wilderness characteristics”. Mountain bicycling is the type of mechanization the National Wilderness Preservation System was established to exclude, in order to protect the rustic and primitive character of Wilderness areas. With its enactment of the Wilderness Act, Congress recognized that only certain forms of transport—foot, horseback, and paddling —are compatible with an experience based on the solitude, tranquility and naturalness of the wilderness environment.

H.R. 1349 is a dangerous attempt to weaken the Wilderness Act and carve a huge loophole in the National Wilderness Preservation System for bikes and other machines, and who knows what else afterward. The bill is yet another attack on our public lands that undermines one of our nation’s bedrock conservation laws and jeopardizes America’s wilderness.

Rep. Carbajal and Sen. Harris have unveiled a re-introduction of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, a bill on which we’ve worked for 7 years and whose history dates back even further. After spending most of the year in a defensive crouch from Congress’ myriad attacks to public lands, CalWild is really happy to see some of our junior legislators getting their hands dirty with wilderness bills like this.

Using the form below, please take a moment to thank the authors Rep. Carbajal and Sen. Harris (and cosponsors Reps. Brownley/Panetta and Sen. Feinstein) for shepherding a bill that would protect 244,909 acres of new or expanded wilderness and 159 miles of wild and scenic rivers.

You can learn more about the bill here, and its introduction here.

Rep. Judy Chu has introduced two bills to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, establish an adjacent San Gabriel River and Foothills National Recreation Area, and protect wilderness and wild and scenic rivers in the mountain range.

Now it’s time for Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein to show their support for the protection of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains by introducing companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. Please send emails today to them both to introduce companion bills to Rep. Chu’s comprehensive legislation to protect the San Gabriel Mountains.

Please send your emails to Senators Harris and Feinstein TODAY. Feel free to expand and add to the sample email provided.

The Giant Sequoia National Monument (GSNM) covers 328,315-acre protecting the giant Sequoia groves and their surrounding forests and watersheds from resource development. A previous protection proposal by President George H.W. Bush was less than 1/3rd of the Monument established by President Clinton. The more expansive Clinton proclamation was preceded by extensive public input and local meetings. Although some people opposed its establishment, the Giant Sequoia National Monument enjoyed widespread public support, which continues today.

The Forest Service has all the policy tools it needs to effectively address tree mortality in the Monument. What the agency lacks is adequate funding from Congress. The Forest Service has suffered from severe budget cuts since the Giant Sequoia National Monument was established and most of its current budget is spent fighting wildfires. Budget cuts are a major impediment to effective forest management in the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Lack of funding and political support in Congress is also the primary reason why the Monument lacks a visitor center, which would improve the visitor experience and boost tourism and the economy of local communities.

The well documented economic value of the Giant Sequoia National Monument is completely ignored by President Trump and the Western Caucus. Travel and tourism are important to the communities in the Giant Sequoia region, supporting about 55,100 jobs. Tulare and Fresno counties have experienced strong growth since the monument was established, with increases in population, jobs, and personal income. Overall, outdoor recreation in California generates $92 billion annually in consumer spending, directly contributes to 691,000 jobs, and adds $6.2 billion in state and local tax revenue.

Please make sure McCarthy understands how many benefits the Giant Sequoia is providing to his own constituents.