Petitioning the Decision Makers to Protect the Bighorns

The Bighorn National Forest as of 6/9/05 drafted a new plan adopted by the timber industry, the State and the Forest Service -- mapping the future of our Mountain. This map depicts an alarming change away from conservation and good stewardship. The 79 businesses in our community surrounding the Bighorns recognize that tourism, hunting and fishing contribute 79% of all dollars spent from the Bighorn National Forest. They want our roadless areas protected. A petition was delivered to the Supervisor of the Bighorn, Governor, Regional Forester and Senator Craig Thomas to stop the diminishing the recreation and tourism opportunities or we will seriously hurt our economic future.

The Bighorn National Forest took the State of Wyoming's recommendations and left the Bighorn with only 110,000 acres of roadless areas with any assurances. This map depicts the State and Bighorn's final plan for roadless, delivered to the Regional Forester on March 18, 2005. It will be up to the Regional Forester, Rick Cables, to make the final recommendations on the Environmental Impact Statement, scheduled to appear to the public by September 2005. Click here to see how much roadless acreage we have lost due to this plan.