Wilderness group to prepare bill

HELENA (AP) — A wilderness preservation group has decided to write its own wilderness bill that would designate all roadless wilderness study areas in the state as wilderness.

Americans for Wilderness plans to unveil its wilderness proposal at a rally and march in Missoula on March 2, the group said in a press release Tuesday.

“Montana’s roadless public lands must be protected as national wilderness for the good of all Americans, especially for future generations,’ said Philip Knight of Bozeman, a spokesman for the wilderness group and also a member of Montana Earth First!

“Once an area is opened development, it loses its wilderness character forever,” Knight added. “Instead of enriching large corporation through development, this land should be enriching our American heritage.”

Americans for Wilderness said two attempts by the state’s congressional delegation to draft a wilderness bill have failed because of opposition from both environmentalists and industry.

The group said it believes that any bills introduced by individual members of the delegation would call for formal wilderness designation of only 1.5 million acres of about 6 million acres of roadless area in national forests in Montana.

All 6 million acres of roadless forest land, plus 3 million acres of roadless federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management should be designated wilderness, the group said.

The Americans for Wilderness proposal will be outlined at the rally next month at the University of Montana. The group says as many as 1,000 people will then march from the campus to visit public officials and to a “Forever Wild Rally” at the Missoula County Courthouse.