Wyoming Wilderness Association

THE WYOMING WILDERNESS ASSOCIATION WORKS TO PROTECT WYOMING'S PUBLIC WILD LANDS TO ENSURE A FUTURE OF WILD PLACES FOR PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.

THE WYOMING WILDERNESS ASSOCIATION (WWA) HAD FOUR MAJOR PUBLIC LANDS CAMPAIGNS IN 2021. BRIDGER-TETON, SHOSHONE, BIGHORN NATIONAL FOREST, AND THE BLM'S RED DESERT WERE LANDSCAPES OF FOCUS IN 2021. THESE CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED EDUCATING OUR MEMBERS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SCHOOL GROUPS, BUSINESSES, DIVERESE ORGANIZATIONS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE FUTURE OF THESE WILD PLACES AND CURRENT MANAGEMENT DISCUSSIONS. WWA GAVE PRESENTATIONS ON THE VALUE OF THESE WILDERNESS AREAS TO AFORMENTIONED GROUPS, INVLUDING TEACHING ABOUT THE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THIS WILD HERITAGE FOR FUTURE GENEREALS. CONCERNED CITIZENS PRODUCED LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BASED ON OUR EDUCATION EFFORTS AND OUTREACH THROUGH PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED MATERIALS, SUCH AS ALERTS, BROCHURES, BUSINESS PACKETS, NEWSLETTERS, AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, WE INFORM THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR OUTINGS, WEBISTE, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND EMAIL SYSTEM. WHILE SERVING TO PROTECT WYOMING'S PUBLIC WILDLANDS, WWA STAFF, MEMNBERS, AND SUPPORTERS VOLUNTEERED ON STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS ON NATIONAL FORESTS.

IN 2021, WWA HAD 237 PARTICIPANTS ON 17 TOTAL DIFFERENT OUTINGS ACROSS THE STATE. OUTINGS LED ADULTS INTO AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY OF LANDSCAPES BOASTING ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS, AND NOT YOUR AVERAGE "ROCK AND ICE" POTENTIAL WILDERNESS. IN ADDITION, 134 TOTAL STUDENTS WENT ON 19 VARIOUS OUTDOOR ADVENTURES THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN ONE OF THE THREE SHERIDAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL OUTDOOR CLUBS. WWA PROVIDED FIVE LEAVE NOT TRACE AND PUBLIC LAND EDUCATION OUTINGS WITH TWO ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOLS IN SHERIDAN AND BUFFALO. YOUTH ADVOCATES FOR WILDERNESS HAD SIG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPLETE A 10 DAY PROGRAM INCLUDING A FOUR DAY BACKPACK TRIP. FINALLY, 74 VOLUNTEERS TOTALING 592 HOURS HELPED WWA SUPPORT 170 RUNNERS AND 400 COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS ENJOY THE RUN THE RED FOOTRACE HELD ON WYOMING PUBLIC LANDS DAY. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT CELEBRATES THE RUGGED LANDSCAPE OF THE NORTHERN RED DESSERT.

IN 2021, WWA CONTINUED TO ELEVATE THE STEWARDSHIP PILLAR OF OUR MISSION. WWA WAS ABLE TO INVOLVE OVER 245 PARTICIPANTS AND 3,303 VOLUNTEER HOURS WHICH ALLOWED US TO: CONDUCT 20 SOLITUDE MONITORING PROJECTS IN DESIGNATED WILDERNESS, PROMOTE YOUTH ADVOCACY, CONDUCT RAPID CAMPSITE MONITORING ON OVER 175 WILDERNESS SITES, CLEAN FIRE RINGS, FIX TRAILS, AND REMOVE 2.5 MILES AND 2,000 LBS OF DOWNED BARBWIRED FENCE. FIVE VIRTUAL OUTREACH EVENTS INCLUDED: BACKCOUNTRY FILM FESTIVALS, BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL, TRAINING PROTOCOLS FOR SOLITUDE MONITORING AND SEVERAL COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AROUND CONSERVATION OUTREACH AND EDUCATION UTILIZING THE ZOOM PLATFORM.

IN 2021, WWA CONTINUED TO ELEVATE THE EDUCATION PILLAR OF OUR MISSION. IN 2021, WWA HELPED MAINTAIN 3 OUTDOOR CLUBS AT LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS WITH THE FOCUS AROUND EDUCATION, STEWARDSHIP, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION. THE PROGRAM IS BEING LED BY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND HAVE UPWARDS OF 130+ STUDENTS INVOLVED IN EXPLORING THEIR BACKYARD: THE BIGHORN NATIONAL FOREST. AROUND 80% OF THE PARTICIPANTS ARE EXPERIENCING SOME OF THESE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES (I.E. CLIMBING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, SKIING, FLY FISHING) FOR THE FIRST TIME. WWA IS PROUD TO HELP LEAD AN EFFORT TO GET OUR YOUTH CONNECTED WITH THE OUTDOORS WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY IN TURN CREATE WILDLAND ADVOCATES IN THE FUTURE. IN 2021, WWA CONTINUED TO SERVE ON COMMITTEES (BRIDGER-TETON WORKING GROUP COLLABORATIVE AND CITIZENS FOR THE RED DESERT COLLABORATIVE) AND EDUCATE SUPPORTERS AROUND PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT AND PROPOSED LEGISLATION. PUBLIC COMMENT WAS ACHIEVED FROM WWA EMAILING ALERTS, NOTICES, AND UPDATES TO MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. ADDITIONALLY, WWA HOSTED AND/OR ATTENDED MULTIPLE VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS, PRESENTATIONS, AND WORKSHOPS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC AND ENCOURAGE PERSONALIZED COMMENTS AROUND THE VALUE MANY FIND IN THESE LANDSCAPES. WWA CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO IN 2022 AS A LEGISLATIVE BILL AROUND THESE PARTICULAR WILD AREAS GENERATED FROM THE WYOMING PUBLIC LANDS INITIATIVE IS CURRENTLY BEING WRITTEN FROM BARASSO'S OFFICE. WWA CONTINUED TO MAKE GREAT STRIDE IN 2021 AROUND COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND CONSERVATION GROUPS ALSO WORKING IN THESE LANDSCAPES. PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS INCLUDED: STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS, SEVERAL FILM SCREENING EVENTS, OUTDOOR RECREATION, INFORMATIONAL EVENTS, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, LAND MANAGEMENT MEETINGS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON VARIOUS PANELS AND PRESENT DURING CONSERVATION CONFERENCES, INCLUDING THE 2021 NATIONAL WILDERNESS TEWARDSHIP ALLIANCE CONFERENCE.