Sample of a 4 page, full color newsletter distributed to 1,100 members in Idaho for national conservation group. Purpose of newsletter to ensure that members of a national organization know about work being done to protect the local resources they love and care about.

1. Fall 2011
The latest conservation news from The Wilderness Society’s Idaho Program
Volunteers convert roads to hiking trails in
Idaho’s newest Wilderness area
by Brad Brooks, Deputy Regional Director
In June I was fortunate
enough to help organize
and participate in one of
the first trail stewardship
National Trails Day 2011.
projects in one of Idaho’s
Protecting wild places is core to
newest Wilderness areas,
our mission at The Wilderness
Big Jacks Creek Wilderness.
Society, but equally important
The work was physically
is providing access to and
challenging — and richly
enjoyment of our precious public
rewarding.
lands. That’s why we have been
The Wilderness Society
involved with the formation of
spent nearly a decade
the Idaho Trails Association, a
working to protect this
group that works to protect and
rugged desert canyon
maintain hiking trails throughout
country, but the work years to come. While the
Idaho. Photo by Joe Pickett.
track road into a single track trail,
doesn’t stop at designation. contributing 153 hours of volunteer physical work of building the trail
labor. We hauled rocks, dug dirt, kept us busy, it was clear to the group
The Parker Trailhead Project, that our efforts were about more
filled in holes, and built over 150
sponsored by the Idaho Trails than just a trail— we were providing
water bars.
Association, REI and the Bureau of a conduit for people to enjoy
Land Management, was an incredible For this group of dedicated wilderness.
success. volunteers, it was an opportunity to
get their hands dirty, perform their The most rewarding part of the
From college students to retirees, 23 day came late in the afternoon,
civic duty, and help build something
volunteers traveled nearly 2 hours to when I decided to hike the newly
that will be used and enjoyed by
help convert 1.5 miles of an old two- created trail down into the Big Jacks
hikers and horseback riders for
continued on page 3 >>
Idaho Update 1 The Wilderness Society-Idaho

2. Director’s corner
Struggling Bighorns–Again–Face Recovery Threat
By Craig Gehrke, Regional Director
Idaho woolgrowers are asking for a
special favor from Congress—
Idaho’s bighorn populations can’t
stopping bighorn sheep recovery.
take five more years of diseases
Under a provision authored by
from domestic sheep. The
Congressman Mike Simpson
best available science tells
in the Congressional FY2012
the public land managers
Interior Appropriations leg-
to separate the two species
islation, public land managers
– now – to prevent bighorn
could only stand by for five years TWS is working with conserva-
die-offs.
and watch as domestic sheep mingle tion and sporting groups in Idaho,
with bighorns in places like Hells Oregon and Washington to mount
Canyon and the Salmon River Can- opposition to Congressman Simp-
yon, exposing bighorns to diseases son’s anti-bighorn provision.
Just when it looked like wildlife
for which they have no immunity.
managers in Idaho’s Hells and Salmon
Currently, wildlife managers are
River Canyons would give Bighorn
sheep a chance to recover, a new
removing domestic sheep from big-
addition to the Interior Appropriations
horn habitat in Hells Canyon and the
legislation for 2012 would keep
Salmon River Canyon. Congressman
domestic and wild bighorn sheep
Simpson’s provision would stop that
together, despite scientific evidence
effort.
that domestic sheep transmit diseases
continuing chronic die-offs of big-
to bighorn sheep.
horns. Just one contact between the
species can wipe out an entire herd
Forcing bighorns and diseased MISSION
of bighorn sheep.
domestic sheep together for To protect wilderness
five more years guarantees a and inspire Americans
Domestic sheep producers want
downward spiral for Idaho’s to care for
another five years to develop vac-
struggling bighorn population. our wild places.
cines. This is a stalling tactic to de-
And Idaho’s bighorns are strug-
lay the recovery efforts that Idaho’s
gling. Population numbers are in
bighorns need right now. In another
Idaho Regional Office
decline, and their numbers have 950 W. Bannock St | Ste
five years, die-offs from domes-
dropped by half in Hells Canyon 605 Boise, ID 83702
tic sheep diseases may well drive
and the Salmon River Canyon ph 208 343-8153
Idaho’s bighorns past the point of no
fax 208 343-8184
Published scientific literature is con-
since 1990.
wilderness.org
clusive that domestic sheep transmit return. For woolgrowers, this solves
diseases to bighorns, resulting in the problem, but robs Idahoans of
Idaho Staff
their wildlife heritage.
Craig Gehrke
Regional Director
craig_gehrke@tws.org
Brad Brooks
TAKE ACTION! Deputy Regional Director
brad_brooks@tws.org
Please tell Congressman Simpson not to delay John McCarthy
bighorn sheep recovery! Idaho Forest Director
john_mccarthy@tws.org
http://wilderness.org/content/wilds-central-idaho Michele Crist
Please ask Rep. Simpson not to pursue any legislative efforts that will
(Click on the ‘imperiled bighorn sheep’ link to take action!) Landscape Ecologist
michele_crist@tws.org
put Idaho’s bighorns at risk or delay their recovery. Let him know
Brenda Bielke
you support recovery of Idaho’s iconic bighorn sheep populations.
Conservation Associate
brenda_bielke@tws.org
The Wilderness Society—Idaho 2 wilderness.org

3. Partnerships on Boise National Forest benefit wildlife,
watersheds, forests and communities
After nearly a year of collaboration, about our public forests and we hope to
By John McCarthy, Idaho Forest Program Director
the citizen-led Boise Forest Coalition continue to partner with the coalition,”
submitted recommendations on a said Marie Louise “ML” Smith, deputy
restoration and recreation project that forest supervisor for the Boise National
would help wildlife, recreationists, Forest.
forest health and the local economy. John McCarthy, The Wilderness Society’s
Project recommendations include Idaho Forest program director, is a key
commercial thinning for wildlife participant in the collaborative effort,
habitat and fuels reduction, bull trout along with active and retired foresters
habitat connections, road and trail from the timber industry and the Forest
improvements, road decommissioning, Service, mountain bike advocates,
controlled burning and mountain bike motorized recreationists, local citizens,
trail construction. other conservationists and Boise County
The group focused on lower Clear Commissioner Jamie Anderson.
Emmit Taylor of the Nez Perce Tribe watershed
Creek in the Lowman Ranger District, The coalition recommendations, a
staff points to the value of a bottomless arch
about 75 miles northeast of Boise. The recommended, after some advance project area map, and a list of all
culvert at Curtis Creek. Photo by John McCarthy.
25,000-acre project area could be one treatments, on about 700 acres. Timber participants are available at the Idaho
of the first to implement the Wildlife cutting would be done from existing Forest Restoration Partnership website
Conservation Strategy adopted by the roads or from temporary roads that are at: http://www.idahoforestpartners.
Boise National Forest earlier this year. reclaimed after project completion.
That strategy is designed to improve A new 15-mile mountain bike trail resources.html .
org/planning-and-organizational-
conditions for key wildlife species. along Miller Mountain Ridge, leading
“By changing the forest structure into Clear Creek. is supported by the
coalition members. The Wilderness Society organized
though thinning smaller trees, and by
LEGACY ROADS & TRAILS
a day-long tour August 15th to the
connecting bigger blocks of habitat, we “We think the group came up with good Upper South Fork Salmon River, in
should see more favorable conditions ideas on a broad range of issues and we cooperation with Boise National
for woodpeckers, owls and elk,” said look forward to examining their ideas Forest to show Congressional staff
Michele Crist, forest ecologist for The in a project design for the area,” said from Idaho the work that’s being
Wilderness Society and member of the John Kidd, Lowman District Ranger. accomplished with Legacy Roads and
Coalition. “We will now start the NEPA (National Trails funding. Water quality, fisheries,
The coalition recommends thinning Environmental Policy Act) process, to recreation, roads and trail benefits
on about 1.000 acres for habitat do the environmental review, and to were evident and demonstrate how,
restoration, another 250 acres for involve any interested member of the with a combination of funding and
protection of summer homes and public, before we make any decisions.” partnerships, public land and water
the Park Creek Campground, and “The Boise National Forest appreciates improvements are possible under
another 700 acres to maintain forest the hard work and creative thinking challenging conditions and tight
conditions. Controlled burns are also from the citizens who care so much budgets.
From roads to Wilderness trails from page 1
Creek Canyon. On the way I passed two Yes, we were building a trail, but building a
families that had ventured out on their trail is about much more than the path, it’s
own to experience the wilderness, using about creating a legacy that will long outlive
the trail we had just built. One family had my existence, and that’s what keeps me
three young children, only two of whom going.
could walk. The family didn’t know me or
that I had spent time helping protect this
landscape, but it didn’t matter and I didn’t
To volunteer for a project or get more
care. Watching that family hike down the
information on the Idaho Trails Association:
trail into the canyon gave me a great sense
info@idahotrailsassociation.org
of accomplishment.
www.idahotrailsassociation.org
Idaho Update 3 Fall 2011

4. NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D
Idaho Regional Office BOISE, ID
950 W. Bannock Street Suite 605
Boise, Idaho 83702 PERMIT NO. 220
ph 208 343-8153 | fx 208 343-8184
wilderness.org
Printed on recycled paper.
Bo Wilmer, TWS
landscape ecologist
will continue to
appreciate and
protect Idaho’s wild
lands in his work
post-TWS. Photo by
Craig Gehrke.
Farewell to Bo Wilmer Idaho Trails Assocation, REI and the Bureau of Land Management
After 11 years in the “Bo has made a
teamed up for Nationals Trail Day June 4th to modify the two-track
research department of tremendous difference
trail into a hiking trail in the Big Jacks Wilderness Area in SW Idaho.
The Wilderness Society, in our work in Idaho,
This photo and photo on page 3 by Joe Pickett. Story on page 1.
ecologist and GIS guru Bo solidifying TWS’s
Wilmer has accepted a new reputation for reliable
position with a consultant and accurate analysis.
Bo’s landscape analysis
firm working with the
work has signicantly
National Forest Service. contributed to our efforts
Bo’s analysis and mapping in defining Central Idaho
work for our central Idaho as an important landscape
restoration and wilderness for restoration and
efforts were invaluable. We protection. We’re going
will miss him immensely, to miss his humor and
but are glad he will and his enthusiasm. He leaves big
family are staying in Idaho. sandals to fill,” said Craig
Gehrke, Regional Director.