In June, a front-page Washington Post article highlighted the strides this Congress is taking toward placing a legacy of natural heritage in the National Wilderness Preservation System. In an editorial, the New York Times urged Congress to move quickly on these bills so the opportunity “to add significantly to the nation’s store of protected wilderness” can be realized. Public Radio International’s program Living on Earth soon will air a piece on the heavy lifting by Rep. Nick Rahall and Sen. Jeff Bingaman to save our common ground.
The national media are attuned to this issue in large part because Congress is accomplishing something. Congress is doing it because people widely support wilderness protection. A poll conducted by Zogby International in July determined that 87 percent of likely voters in America view wilderness protection as important, and that level of support cuts across the political spectrum and can be found in every region. People are willing to stand up and speak out on this issue, as well. Seven in ten of these likely voters said they would vote for a candidate who strongly supports wilderness protection. People are making democracy work. Congress is listening, and could well protect a million acres by the end of this year.
