The Conservation Alliance

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Winter Wildlands Alliance

Website
http://www.winterwildlands.org
Contact Name
Mark Menlove
Contact Email
info@antispamwinterwildlands.org
Past Grants
2011 · $30,000
2010 · $25,000
2008 · $30,000
2007 · $20,000
2006 · $25,000
2001 · $35,000
Grand Total
$165,000
Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization promoting and preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered snowsports experience on public lands. Support from The Conservation Alliance helps WWA and its 28 grassroots groups broker on-the-ground solutions that ensure healthy winter ecosystems and a quality recreation experience for backcountry and Nordic skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers. Current initiatives include efforts to protect non-motorized winter areas on Mt. Jefferson, Montana, Togwotee Pass, Wyoming, Tumalo Mountain, Oregon and Hahn's Peak and Red Mountain Pass in Colorado.

Project Update

Federal Court Rules in Favor of Protecting Quiet Winter in Yellowstone

Great news on our ongoing work to protect the natural sights and sounds of winter in Yellowstone National Park: In response to a legal challenge brought by Winter Wildlands Alliance and four coalition partners, the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. yesterday handed down a ruling overturning the Bush administration’s plan to allow more than 500 snowmobiles per day in Yellowstone National Park.

Protecting the natural sights and sounds of Yellowstone’s magical winter season has been a keystone issue for Winter Wildlands Alliance since our inception. It’s gratifying to see the federal court validate our ongoing work to protect this winter treasure and to set a standard for safe, quiet and tranquil winter recreation in all of our national parks.

In a 63-page ruling overturning the Park Service’s 2007 Winter Use Plan, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan called the plan “arbitrary and capricious, unsupported by the record, and contrary to law,” and directed the Park Service to institute a plan in keeping with its fundamental purpose to conserve park resources and values. 

For the coming winter season, the Park Service has the authority to institute a temporary plan. To ensure visitor experiences remain safe and enjoyable, and the local economy strong, Winter Wildlands Alliance and our coalition partners are asking the Park Service to cap the number of snowmobiles accessing the park this season at the daily average of the past five seasons—approximately 260 snowmobiles per day. Following that, the Park Service should work with local gateway communities and businesses to begin phasing down the number of snowmobiles in the winter of 2009-2010 while promoting expanded visitor access by on modern snowcoaches and by skis and snowshoes. 

Over the past decade, more than half a million Americans have commented on winter use in Yellowstone, making it the most publicly-commented-on issue in the history of the national parks. A consistent four-to-one majority has favored accessing the park by more environmentally friendly snowcoach instead of snowmobiles. Thank you to all of our members and constituents who have helped accomplish this victory on behalf of our nation’s first national park.

For more information or to view the ruling, visit www.winterwildlands.org.