WILDALERT NEWS from THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY FEB 2010

As attention to the disaster in Haiti starts to wane, the people there face months – even years – of rebuilding.
Our staff is deeply saddened by the tragedy of this earthquake and our hearts go out to the Haitian people who are facing unimaginable difficulties.
That's why we're asking you to lend your support. Here are just a few organizations responding with relief, who still need our help:
Care
Doctors without Borders
Mercy Corps
Oxfam
Red Cross
Unicef
Your gift today can be a life-saving one. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
Sincerely,
Bill Meadows
President, The Wilderness Society



Take Action
Come join The Wilderness Society, the American Hiking Society, and hundreds of trails supporters to "Hike the Hill" on Monday, Feb., 22 at 9 a.m, in support of our trails and wildlands!
We'll be hiking from the Lincoln Memorial to the steps of the US Capitol Building to show our passion and commitment to our national system of trails and treasured landscapes.
Find out more by clicking here.



Inside Story
How can the government save billions and invest in a green economy?
As President Obama calls for fiscal restraint in domestic spending, The Wilderness Society has joined with 33 other conservation and wildlife organizations to make key, conservation-related spending recommendations to Congress – outlining ways we can create new jobs while strengthening key environmental programs and cutting wasteful spending by nearly $20 billion per year.
The wide-ranging spending cuts indentified would save billions of dollars per year, by ending tax-breaks and other giveaways to the oil and gas industry and other big polluters who are enjoying record-breaking profits. One example: closing a loophole that allows big corporations to write off oil and gas production. This alone would save $13.3 billion over nine years.
Check out our new video to learn more.



In the News
Clean Air Act Remains Under Attack
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski continues her attack on one of the nation's cornerstone health and environmental laws. Read more.
B&Bs Team Up to Support The Wilderness Society and Wildlands
Planning a winter escape? A new program allows you to enjoy yourself at one of 17 unique and off-the-beaten-track B&Bs and inns, while also helping to protect America's wildlands. Learn more.



Support Our Work
Big Oil and Gas are spending millions on a campaign of misinformation, claiming the Obama Administration hasn't opened up enough public lands for oil and gas drilling. But the truth is, Oil and Gas already control over 32 million acres of public lands allotted for drilling – that's an area the size of Wisconsin!
The Interior Department has announced new policies aimed at putting an end to Big Oil and Gas' unchecked access to sensitive public lands, but the industry is pulling out all the stops to gain access to even more of our most precious wild lands.
Help support our efforts to stop Big Oil and Gas from circumventing new leasing guidelines.



Words to Inspire
"The richest values of wilderness lie not in the days of Daniel Boone, nor even in the present, but rather in the future."

–Aldo Leopold, Wilderness Society founder



The Wilderness Society's mission is to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. As a subscriber to WildAlert, you join more than 500,000 Wilderness Society members and supporters in protecting and restoring America's wild places.