On August 14, 1999 dozens of groups and hundreds of individuals came together in locations around the country to protest the growing trend toward pay-to-play, industrial-strength recreation on America's public lands. By all measures, the event was a great success and did much to draw national attention to this rapidly developing issue. More importantly, that event created enormous momentum and helped grow the number of organizations opposing the recreation fee-demonstration program to over 150, nationwide.
To build upon that momentum, Wild Wilderness is asking for your help in planning, organizing and staging an even larger Day of Action this year. We have been working with key groups throughout the country and have collectively selected Saturday, June 10, 2000 for this event. Our event will immediately precede the American Recreation Coalition's annual Washington DC lobby week called: "Great Outdoors Week 2000." We chose this timing to ensure that the recreation industry's PRO fee-demo message is not the only message heard by Congress and by the media.
With over 150 organizations now opposing fee-demo, the organization of a coordinated National Day of Action has grown too large for such a small group as Wild Wilderness. In calling for this event we accept the risk that if people do not respond to our plea for help, the media may take that to mean there is no real opposition to the fee-demo program. We took that gamble last year and we won! We are gambling once again and are counting upon your help and support to ensure that this year's event is an even larger success.
The basic message we will try to convey is that the management of recreation on America's Public Lands is at an important CROSSROADS. Will traditional recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, nature viewing, horseback riding, backpacking and primitive camping continue to be the primary recreational uses of public lands in the future? Or will federal land managers actively work with private partners in order to develop an entirely new recreation "Product Line" - one consisting of higher impact, expensive and, in some cases, environmentally detrimental activities selected primarily for their revenue generation potential?
Suggested alternative themes that may be emphasized include;
All protests will be locally organized and we encourage organizers to develop a message that represents THEIR reasons for opposing the fee-demonstration program. We appreciate that there is no one right reason for opposing fee-demo. The theme we have selected - "The Great Outdoors Crossroads" - was chosen so as to provide a non-restrictive umbrella with which to loosely unite the many protests that will occur on this day of protest. There will be no national center for this event and Wild Wilderness's role will be primarily to help local organizers in any way THEY deem useful.
Protests need not be large or elaborate to be successful. As part of least year's Day of Action, one of the most effective protests consisted of just two individuals who walked along a busy forest road waving signs that read: "Honk if You Hate Forest Fees!" Almost everyone did! Other events were much larger with scheduled speakers, live music and even dancing.
In the upcoming days and weeks, please do all you can to spread the word and let others know about the opportunity afforded by this Day of Action. Please do what you can to generate interest within your own circle of contacts.
Then please get back to us and let us know specifically how you would like to get involved and help make this day a success.
Willing participants are very important.
ORGANIZERS are CRITICAL.
Thanks for your help and support. We look forward to hearing from you.
For more information, contact: