Advocating for wilderness areas.

• Position: Vermont - Brief article

CLF is taking the lead role in the Vermont Wilderness Association's efforts to secure federal designation of more wilderness areas in the Green Mountain National Forest. Wilderness areas are shielded from logging and development but are still open for recreational activities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, camping and skiing. These areas also provide citizens with clean drinking water while serving as critical habitat for plants and animals.

Vermont's congressional delegation has introduced federal legislation that would designate 4-8,161 more acres in the Green Mountain National Forest as protected wilderness in the Forest. "We want an additional 30,000 acres to be protected, bringing the total to 79,000 acres," CLF Vermont attorney Anthony Iarrapino said. "Many areas in the Forest are threatened by high-impact uses like snowmobiling, ATV use...