Letter from the President
Wilderness Is Our Middle Name
William H. Meadows
As our name implies, the number-one priority for The Wilderness Society is saving the nation’s wilderness. This Thanksgiving season, all of us at The Wilderness Society want to thank our members for having enabled us to help the National Wilderness Preservation System grow to nearly 107 million acres. We are thankful for each one of these acres—and the life it sustains. As this issue went to press in October, 275,000 acres of northern California were achieving this status, and we believe that more wilderness will be protected before Congress adjourns, with support from both parties.
 When you look at a photo of a wilderness area, your first thought probably involves its beauty or the peace and quiet it must harbor. Other benefits are less obvious. Pristine lands provide clean drinking water for downstream communities and scrub dirty air. They offer refuge for wildlife. Many people live better lives thanks to medicines created from plants and animals found in the wild. Local economies prosper because wilderness lures visitors. As the nation’s population moves beyond 300 million and the pressure on our public lands grows, we need to make sure that decision makers protect these benefits. Future generations will thank us.
-- William H. Meadows
P.S. If you would like to see our natural treasures on your wall every day of the coming year, you can do so by ordering our calendar. Call 800-523-3692 or send an e-mail to: sales@westcliffepublishers.com.
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