You may love your cell. But aren’t there times when you’d like to tune it out? Forbes magazine writer Monte Burke has just put together a list of some of the best places to escape the rat race.
The list is a reminder that you can still find places in this great land where the only sounds are created by Mother Nature: the song of the hermit thrush, rustling leaves, the howl of a wolf.
Almost all these spots belong to you, and to the rest of us. Some are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, protected for all time from mining, oil drilling, motorized traffic, and the like. Others on his list do not enjoy that level of protection but remain undeveloped for now.
We worked with Monte as he developed his list, and he cites members of our staff who are knowledgeable about some of these first-class getaways. You can read his story and enjoy photos of the places on his list at:
The Wilderness Society is dedicated to the wise management of the lands that you have inherited. In this increasingly noisy and crowded country, the need for places to escape is growing every day. We are teaming up with other conservationists, churches, business owners, the Garden Club of America, sportsmen, and others to protect this natural legacy.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Eight endangered Rothschild's giraffe recently arrived at their ancestral home on the shores of Lake Baringo, Kenya. Their arrival marked a long-awaited homecoming for the species—for nearly 70 years, Rothschild's giraffe have been absent from the Lake Baringo area, which was once part of their native range. The area has now been turned into a nature reserve—the Ruko Conservancy—to help ensure the long-term protection of the rare species of giraffe.
With only 670 Rothschild's giraffe left in the wild, conservationists hope that by transferring these eight giraffes to the Ruko Conservancy, they can establish a new population and thereby reduce the risk that now looms over this endangered species.
The transport of the eight giraffe took conservationists four years to plan and required input from multiple organizations including the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Northern Rangelands Trust, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, The Tusk Trust and The Born Free Foundation.
Immense care was given to the well-being of the giraffes during each stage of the journey. The translocation effort began in Soysambu Conservancy near Nakuru, Kenya. Conservationists captured eight giraffe and placed them in a holding area for three weeks to minimize stress on the animals and to prepare them for the move. The giraffes were then taken by specially-designed vehicle to the edge of Lake Baringo and transferred onto a modified landing craft. The landing craft ferried the giraffe across the lake to the Ruko Conservancy. The giraffe were released into another holding area where they will be kept for several weeks while they adjust to their new surroundings.
In August 2010, Rothschild's giraffe were recognized as an endangered species by the IUCN, in large part due to the efforts of scientists from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation who have been studying the species.
With only 670 Rothschild's giraffe left in the wild, conservationists hope that by transferring these eight giraffes to the Ruko Conservancy, they can establish a new population and thereby reduce the risk that now looms over this endangered species.
The transport of the eight giraffe took conservationists four years to plan and required input from multiple organizations including the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Northern Rangelands Trust, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, The Tusk Trust and The Born Free Foundation.
Immense care was given to the well-being of the giraffes during each stage of the journey. The translocation effort began in Soysambu Conservancy near Nakuru, Kenya. Conservationists captured eight giraffe and placed them in a holding area for three weeks to minimize stress on the animals and to prepare them for the move. The giraffes were then taken by specially-designed vehicle to the edge of Lake Baringo and transferred onto a modified landing craft. The landing craft ferried the giraffe across the lake to the Ruko Conservancy. The giraffe were released into another holding area where they will be kept for several weeks while they adjust to their new surroundings.
In August 2010, Rothschild's giraffe were recognized as an endangered species by the IUCN, in large part due to the efforts of scientists from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation who have been studying the species.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
This Wednesday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern cougar extinct and is now moving forward with plans to remove them from the Endangered Species Act.
While many suspected that cougars, otherwise known as catamount, mountain cat, mountain lion, panther, or puma, had been wiped out in the east for a while, others believed they were still here eluding humans as to their whereabouts, which lead to their nickname “ghost cat.”
At least 108 sightings have been reported between 1900 and 2010, although none of them were confirmed. Most were believed to have been western cougars spotted during migration, or domesticated or captive cougars that got loose.
In 2007, the UWFWS began a review of trail cameras, eyewitness accounts and road kill reports and is now confident that the eastern cougar is extinct. It’s been 70 years since the last confirmed sighting in Maine.
Eastern cougars once thrived, but became the victims of overzealous hunting and bounties and also suffered from a decline of white-tailed deer, their main prey, which lead to their decline. They were added to the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
The loss of a top predator has lead to a vast increase in deer populations and a decline in forest health in the east. Some experts believe that the western cougar will eventually makes its way east to fill in the gap.
Others including organizations, such as the Cougar Rewilding Foundation, would like to see a reintroduction of wolves and cougars, but expect that suggestions or plans to do so would meet opposition.
"Our ecosystems are collapsing up and down the East Coast, and they're collapsing because we have too many white-tailed deer," said Christopher Spatz, the organizations president. "Our forests are not being permitted to regenerate."
He added that cougars and wolves would naturally thin the deer herd through direct predation while also acting as "natural shepherds," forcing deer to become more vigilant and "stop browsing like cattle."
While many suspected that cougars, otherwise known as catamount, mountain cat, mountain lion, panther, or puma, had been wiped out in the east for a while, others believed they were still here eluding humans as to their whereabouts, which lead to their nickname “ghost cat.”
At least 108 sightings have been reported between 1900 and 2010, although none of them were confirmed. Most were believed to have been western cougars spotted during migration, or domesticated or captive cougars that got loose.
In 2007, the UWFWS began a review of trail cameras, eyewitness accounts and road kill reports and is now confident that the eastern cougar is extinct. It’s been 70 years since the last confirmed sighting in Maine.
Eastern cougars once thrived, but became the victims of overzealous hunting and bounties and also suffered from a decline of white-tailed deer, their main prey, which lead to their decline. They were added to the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
The loss of a top predator has lead to a vast increase in deer populations and a decline in forest health in the east. Some experts believe that the western cougar will eventually makes its way east to fill in the gap.
Others including organizations, such as the Cougar Rewilding Foundation, would like to see a reintroduction of wolves and cougars, but expect that suggestions or plans to do so would meet opposition.
"Our ecosystems are collapsing up and down the East Coast, and they're collapsing because we have too many white-tailed deer," said Christopher Spatz, the organizations president. "Our forests are not being permitted to regenerate."
He added that cougars and wolves would naturally thin the deer herd through direct predation while also acting as "natural shepherds," forcing deer to become more vigilant and "stop browsing like cattle."
SACRAMENTO, CA, March 4, 2011 – United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Dean Lundie, 59, of Orland, was convicted yesterday of unauthorized taking from a National Wildlife Refuge, destruction of natural objects from a National Wildlife Refuge, unlawfully cutting, injuring, or destroying trees on United States land, and trespassing on a National Wildlife Refuge. The guilty verdict was returned by a federal jury in Sacramento after a four-day trial before United States Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman.
According to testimony presented at trial, Lundie cut down more than 35 trees in the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge, took the cut wood for himself, destroyed additional flora on the refuge land by pouring gravel, and trespassed by exceeding the scope of his access on the refuge land. Lundie owns property adjacent to the refuge, which has an easement to allow him access to his well on the refuge property, but he did not have authorization to do any of the acts for which he was prosecuted.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Misdemeanor Prosecutors Catherine Chyi and Robert Sweetin are prosecuting the case.
Lundie is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Newman on May 18, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty for a misdemeanor violation of unauthorized taking, destruction, and trespass is six months in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for a misdemeanor violation of destruction of trees is one year in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
According to testimony presented at trial, Lundie cut down more than 35 trees in the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge, took the cut wood for himself, destroyed additional flora on the refuge land by pouring gravel, and trespassed by exceeding the scope of his access on the refuge land. Lundie owns property adjacent to the refuge, which has an easement to allow him access to his well on the refuge property, but he did not have authorization to do any of the acts for which he was prosecuted.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Misdemeanor Prosecutors Catherine Chyi and Robert Sweetin are prosecuting the case.
Lundie is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Newman on May 18, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty for a misdemeanor violation of unauthorized taking, destruction, and trespass is six months in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for a misdemeanor violation of destruction of trees is one year in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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