3/29 Rally - Land Access News Release

[cruiseroutfit]

NEWS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Utah Land Activists Rally in Support of Public Land Access

Congressman Chris Cannon will be the keynote speaker at a rally to be held
Saturday, at the Utah State Capitol building. Outdoor enthusiasts from all
over the state of Utah will attend to show support of public land access.
"The intent of the rally," according to Larry Kuehn, rally organizer; "Is to
better inform the public on the issues that are of interest to all of us.
We believe that public lands should be protected for the people, not from
the people."

The Land Access Rally is being sponsored by a coalition of people concerned
about access to Utah's public lands. The members of this coalition include
user groups for Snowmobile, ATV, Motorcycle, 4X4, Mountain Bike and Personal
Watercraft. Group members are responsible land users who are concerned about
environmental issues as well as motorized access. The Rally is a way for
them to show concern about their ability to access Utah public lands. They
are gathering to promote and protect access to public lands all across the
state and to encourage citizens to become educated and involved in issues
that involve public land access.

The rally will be held on the steps of the Utah State Capitol Building on
Saturday, March 29th 2003 from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm.

# # #

For information send email to landaccess@hotmail.com

Written by Scott Phillips of U4WDA/Jeep-SLC

 

[Herzog]

Very nice. Thanks for posting that!

 

[Stephen]

Heres the other one:
__________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Students organize Rally in support of recreational access to wilds.

Motivated by the overwhelming presence of environmental organizations on two of Utah’s college campuses, a senior at Westminster College and a sophomore at the University of Utah are organizing a Pro-Access Rally to counter a Wilderness Rally organized by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. The Rally will take place on the south steps of the Utah State Capitol this Saturday, March 29, 2003 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Rebecca Elwell, a senior at Westminster College, noticed on her Environmental History class syllabus a service-learning project involving volunteer work for an environmental organization. The project entailed working for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance that was planning a rally to support their cause. Rebecca does not support SUWA and did not want to work for them on this project.

“Bottom line was this: if the class project was to learn about grass roots organizations, I would rather work for organizations I believe in to learn that lesson, not SUWA.” Elwell said.

Her professor agreed that she could modify her project and volunteer for a Payson, Utah based vehicle advocacy group, the Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL). In the process of formulating the project, she contacted Stephen Nielson, a sophomore at the University of Utah, who heads a student-based, pro-access group called True Access. She and Stephen then decided they would hold a Pro-Access Rally in rebuttal to SUWA’s Anti-Access Rally.

The objective of the Pro-Access Rally is to raise awareness that not everyone supports the narrow view that public lands can be protected in only one way. “We’re not saying we have all the answers,” Rebecca said, “but students, and the public, need to hear more of the other side of this issue.”

“I know a majority of people don’t want so much public lands under the restrictions of Wilderness. Some Wilderness is good, but SUWA wants way too much.” Elwell said. “The Wilderness Act is outdated really,” Nielson added, “we need flexibility that Wilderness doesn’t provide. We need a new progressive solution to public land conservation.”

They have been working for several months contacting other pro-access organizations, making flyers, and getting the word spread about the Rally.

Rebecca was born in the Philippines and grew up in Bishop, California. She describes herself as an avid 4-wheeler, mountainbiker, snowboarder, snowmobiler and dirt bike rider. She first became involved in public lands issues after reading about President Clinton’s Roadless Initiative. She saw the Roadless Initiative as politically driven and unnecessary.

Nielson didn’t take much convincing to help organize the Rally. He, along with his family, has enjoyed four wheeling in Moab for years. Nielson describes himself as an ardent advocate for access to public lands.

Both students attend colleges where Environmental organizations, especially SUWA, have large presence on campus and often recruit students to help fight their cause. SUWA staff and volunteers are also featured as speakers in environmental related classes. Nielson said this was the reason he started a student-based, pro-access group called True Access. “There is very little balance on today’s University campuses,” Nielson said. “I was tired of hearing the same old solution – Wilderness – offered up as the only solution to today’s changing public lands issues. Things are changing. In 1964, when the Wilderness Act was passed, there was no such thing as a mountain bike."

 

[harkinoff]

wish I could go tomorrow for support of this Rally, but I am in crappy shape from the man with the Scalpel, yesterday afternoon... good luck on the rally tomorrow