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Field Notes


How will you celebrate this Wyoming Public Lands Day?

Posted on by Kyle Elmquist

We all know that Wyoming is a special place. We are fortunate to live in a state where we can recreate on mountaintops, marvel at open vistas, watch wildlife roam, and take a moment to connect with the land and one another. Over half of Wyoming is public land, and all of it is the ancestral homeland of Indigenous people. It deserves to be celebrated.

This Saturday, Sept. 24, offers the perfect opportunity to do just that as the state marks the fourth annual Wyoming Public Lands Day — which was established by the state legislature in 2019 thanks to the work of the Keep it Public, Wyoming coalition.

Wyoming Outdoor Council staff and our partners at NOLS and Wyoming Wilderness Association will be out in the Red Desert, hosting the eighth annual Run the Red trail races. If you’re joining us, I look forward to seeing you! If not, I encourage you to get outside with friends or family to celebrate everything Wyoming offers us.

Whether you are camping in the Bighorns, riding your bike through Vedauwoo, or hunting pronghorn in the Great Divide Basin, the Outdoor Council wishes you a very happy Wyoming Public Lands Day. It is also important to acknowledge that all public land was once Tribal land. Remember to visit with respect as many of these places are sacred to the distinct Tribal nations that have both historical and contemporary connections to Wyoming’s public lands.

Be safe and responsible. Have fun. Give thanks.

P.S. Vedauwoo’s name comes from Biito’owu’, an Arapaho word for Earth.

Field Notes


ANOTHER SEASON IN THE RED DESERT

Posted on by Kyle Elmquist

This spring, John Mionczynski a local ethnobotanist, biologist, and historian, accompanied Citizens for the Red Desert into the landscape to help educate and inform tour participants about the natural wonders and uses of the desert ecosystem. Above, you can see him pointing out the geological anomalies of the Great Divide Basin as tour participants take in the dramatic expanse of badlands throughout the Honeycomb Buttes Wilderness Study Area. Off in the distance, stand the Oregon Buttes, another WSA. Part of Mionczynski’s knowledge includes the abundance of edible and medicinal foods that grow throughout the Red Desert. Pictured above, he digs up biscuit root for tour participants and explains how this root vegetable was a staple for an Indigenous diet, often ground into flour and made into bread. Later on the tour, near a bubbling spring, Mionczynski explained how water is a precious resource. This spring, and others like it, are scattered across the desert and attract wildlife from miles around and support a thriving habitat.

In late May, CfRD joined Southwest Wyoming Off-Road Trails on a tour to explore the motorized recreation potential of the area. This is one of many groups who add value to the desert and show that working together can simultaneously support the landscape, stimulate local economies, and empower our communities. Above, you can see the way these ORV enthusiasts spent their day in the desert, taking in the scenes near Oregon Buttes and the White Mountains.

On June 28, members of Citizens for the Red Desert spent another day in the desert, visiting three sacred petroglyph sites and the Boars Tusk. Yufna Soldier Wolf, the Tribal advocacy coordinator for the Indigenous Land Alliance of Wyoming, is pictured above, discussing ways in which we can better manage and protect these sites, especially within the context of the forthcoming Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs Resource Management Plan.

Field Notes


LAUNCHING THE 2022 CALENDAR CONTEST

Posted on by Claire Cella

For better or worse, the past year and a half taught us many things. In Wyoming, as in much of the United States, we witnessed one of the most profound and palpable lessons: a heightened appreciation for and desire to be outdoors as more and more people sought out natural places to find a mental and emotional reprieve from the uncertain times we were faced with. 


In many ways, Wyomingites are lucky to have a broad array of ways to enjoy the outdoors within the varied terrain and open spaces the state has to offer. On any given weekend afternoon, you can visit any patch of green space and see all types of people enjoying all types of activities. As the Outdoor Council, we want to honor that — the ways in which being outside is different for everyone and how none is any less valuable. We want to honor the fact that you take the time to even get outside. The understanding that we all bring our own experiences, upbringings, cultures, and perspectives to the outdoors and to our enjoyment of nature makes it more relevant and accessible — and in time helps us better protect the shared places that we all love in our own ways.


We all see the Instagram stories and Facebook posts of people’s adventurous feats: ascending the sheer walls of Pingora in the Wind River Range, packrafting down the Green River, running to the summit of Medicine Bow Peak, pedaling the Grand Traverse, or backpacking miles in to a remote backcountry site. And while these feats are admirable and inspiring, they are not everyone’s reality, nor should they be. 


We’re capable of just as much delight in the neighborhood City Park in Lander, picnicking with our families, watching children play in the cool waters in the heat of the day, camping with friends in the shadow of the Oregon Buttes, fishing along the Snake River, or spotting the first Western Tanager of spring in the tree near our homes. Nature, and its resiliency, is everywhere when we look for it, especially when we take the time to step out of doors and appreciate it — in whatever way we can, in whatever way we want, with whatever time and gear we have.


While other people’s adventurous spirits and athletic pursuits can be motivational, there is also boundless awe and wonder much closer and easier to attain. This year, here’s to finding meaning and enjoyment anywhere and any way that you chose to. We’re grateful for the opportunity to celebrate how you get outside and find your place in the outdoors.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Entries must be submitted between July 15, 2021, and before midnight on September 15, 2021, either via email (claire@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org) or Instagram, using the hashtag #OurWyoming. By entering, all contestants agree to release their photo to the Wyoming Outdoor Council for publication purposes. The Outdoor Council will select the winning photos, which will be published in the 2022 calendar. All submitted photos are subject to use.

Your entry to the contest constitutes your agreement to allow your entered photographs, as well as your name and the place the photograph was taken, to be published in the Wyoming Outdoor Council’s 2022 calendar and on the Outdoor Council’s website to promote the annual photo contest. Reproduction of entries will include the necessary photographer credit.

Photograph entries constitute permission to use the images in this manner with credit to the photographer without monetary compensation. Contest entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of the photographs they enter. Use of the entered photos in any other fashion or in any other publications will only occur with permission from the entrant.

Field Notes


The 2021 Wyoming Conservation Vote Report

Posted on by Kristen Gunther

THE 2021 WYOMING CONSERVATION VOTE REPORT

In this year’s general session the Wyoming Legislature considered more than 440 bills, and the Wyoming Outdoor Council tracked more than 50 that were related to wildlife, clean air and water, revenue generation, renewable energy, public lands, and transitions for Wyoming’s energy workforce.

READ THE REPORT

In our 2021 Conservation Vote Report, we broke down eight bills that were of high importance to us (and that received floor votes in the House and/or Senate) to identify how state legislators voted on key conservation issues.

Of course, the interim is already underway and committees are studying topics that may yield new legislation in next year’s session. We’ll continue to keep you informed on key issues that arise and let you know when there are opportunities to get involved.

Field Notes


New staff member serves Red Desert citizens’ group

Posted on by Alan Rogers

Early in 2020, the Wyoming Outdoor Council became involved with Citizens for the Red Desert, a loose coalition of people from a variety of backgrounds who value Wyoming’s Red Desert and all it has to offer. At the end of the year, as the group began to coalesce further, we brought on Shaleas Harrison to serve as its coordinator. Harrison is a native of northwest Wyoming, an educator, and a former staff member of the Wyoming Wilderness Association who brings a deep knowledge of, and respect for, the Red Desert. 

After a few weeks on the job, here’s what Harrison had to say. 

Tell us a little about yourself 

I grew up on a small, multi-generational farm in northwest Wyoming growing beans and barley, so I feel I have an intimate connection to Wyoming landscapes and the people that live and work here. I studied molecular biology and chemistry for my undergraduate degree and completed my master’s in natural science and environmental policy at the University of Wyoming. My graduate research revealed how people came together to overcome complex socioeconomic, cultural, and political problems of land management in Wyoming. I am also a teacher — connecting people to nature and using nature as a teaching tool. I worked as a teacher on the Wind River Indian Reservation and taught physics, biology, and chemistry in Saratoga and in Baja California, Mexico. My favorite place is Adobe Town in the Red Desert, and I am so excited to be applying all my passion and abilities as the coordinator of Citizens for the Red Desert!

What do you love about Wyoming’s outdoors? 

There aren’t too many places you can go in this world and still hear the cry of a wolf and bump into a grizzly bear on a trail on the same day.  I also have a deep connection to our desert lands. The colors, lines, and textures have a way of cleansing the mind. Wyoming’s intact wild landscapes are our most precious and valued resource. 

Your new position revolves entirely around the Red Desert. Why is the desert special to you? 

Like many deserts, it’s a place that is underappreciated and not well trafficked. It’s a place you can go and not have to book a reservation or worry about your favorite place being “full.” There aren’t any campgrounds, and you can shoot guns or ride your dirt bike or let your dogs roam,  without bothering anyone. I like that about deserts. You can escape the riffraff of towns and even the tourists. While they stick to the mountains, I’m perfectly happy in the desert, even in the middle of July. The vast vistas clear your mind; they teach us things. One has to spend loads of time there to really feel its power, and the Red Desert is powerful and full of so much beauty. It feels right being here and trying to make sure it stays that way. 

What excites you about working with Citizens for the Red Desert? 

So many people for so many years have fought hard to ensure the Red Desert is protected. I really believe this is my calling and a way to give back to Wyoming, the place that has given me so much.



Field Notes


We cannot be “silent about things that matter”

Posted on by Lisa McGee

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Today we honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who sought to achieve justice for all people regardless of the color of their skin. It is my sincere hope that Dr. King’s leadership — his words and his dedication to non-violence as a means of activism — provide inspiration for us today.

Two days from now the nation’s next president will be inaugurated. There is reason to fear that this will reignite the kind of unlawful, violent, and terror-inducing action that supporters of our current president inflicted on police officers, members of Congress, Congressional staffers, and others who work in the nation’s Capitol — actions that left five people dead.

Some of you might wonder why a conservation group like the Wyoming Outdoor Council is speaking out on issues of racial justice and the state of our democracy. It’s simple. We believe, as Dr. King said, that: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

We are proud to join with numerous Wyoming-based organizations in issuing the following statement, which appeared in Sunday’s Casper Star-Tribune. We invite you to add your name by visiting this link. 

 

Wyoming Groups Call for Transparency and Accountability in the Aftermath of the Attack on the Capitol

Last week, horrified Americans watched as a violent assault was staged in our nation’s capital, putting the lives of our elected leaders and other public servants in danger, and disrupting a constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress to advance the peaceful transfer of presidential power. Here in Wyoming, we watched the shocking footage and share in the sentiment of former Sen. Hank Coe, who told the Cody Enterprise: “It was absolutely the most disgusting, heartbreaking production I’ve ever seen in my life. It did its best to destroy the American values.”

We are asking our state and national elected leaders to demand full accountability for those who incited, abetted, and participated in the attack. There cannot be healing without accountability.

And we cannot ignore the truth: The insurrection last week was the direct result of an ongoing campaign of lies and deliberate misinformation coming primarily from the President of the United States. As Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney put it: “We just had a violent mob assault the Capitol in an attempt to prevent [Congress] from carrying out our Constitutional duty. There is no question that the President formed the mob, the President incited the mob, the President addressed the mob. He lit the flame.”

We are grateful to Congresswoman Cheney. She was one of a terrifyingly small number of leaders in the president’s party who—prior to the attack on the Capitol—had the courage to stand up to him, to stand up to the threats and bullying, and speak up for the U.S. Constitution and core American values about democracy. She warned, prior to the violence, that the president’s lies, toxic rhetoric, and attempts to thwart the will of the people were not only wrong but dangerous to the future of our republic.

We need a national reckoning. Not only with this violent insurrection but with what led to it. We have yet to fully grapple with the anti-democratic, pro-authoritarian political movements that have gone from the fringes to the mainstream in this country. And we have yet to honestly address the role of white supremacists and racist ideologues that have long been promoting the kind of violent insurrection and domestic terrorism we’re witnessing today.

The facts are that over 60 court cases and multiple state-level recounts have uncovered no meaningful “fraud” and no so-called “irregularities” that would have even come close to changing the results of any presidential, legislative, or other election. In a country governed by the rule of law, respecting the role of the courts and the authority of states to administer and certify their elections is not optional. It is the foundation of American democracy.

If we fail as political leaders and as a people to coalesce around the truth, we will continue to allow the lies and disinformation to fracture and polarize our society. If our democracy is to survive and prosper, we will require courageous, patriotic leaders who will stand up for our system of elections and who will not lie to us about the integrity of American voters and the legitimacy of election results.

We, the people are responsible for the durability of our democracy. We must rise to this occasion and find the courage to speak out against those who, in the interest of power, embrace conspiracy theories, white supremacy, lies, and violence. As former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright said: “While democracy in the long run is the most stable form of government, in the short run, it is the most fragile.”

And as the late Rep. John Lewis wrote: “The truth is a powerful force. It is the foundation of all things. The truth is so all-consuming that it cannot be denied. You cannot erase the truth. You cannot tarnish the truth. You cannot whitewash the truth. It is bigger than the sum of us all, and whole, even in its parts.”

Together, we stand for the truth. We expect all our elected officials to do the same.

 

Wyoming State Legislative Board, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
Wyoming Public Employees Association
Wyoming Outdoor Council
Wyoming Interfaith Network
Wyoming Education Association
Wyoming Equality
Wyoming Coalition for a Healthy Retirement
Wyoming Association of Activists
Wind River Native Advocacy Center
SMART Transportation Union
Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter
Matthew Shepard Foundation
Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 800
Equality State Policy Center

 

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Field Notes


We’re celebrating #OurWyoming, and want to see your best photos!

Posted on by Claire Cella

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If you’re familiar with our calendar photography contest, you’ll know that our theme for the past few years has been #MyWyoming. But 2020 has proved to be very different and, as we are all learning, some things may never be quite the same.

As we have responded to a global pandemic and participated in long-overdue conversations about racial inequality in the U.S., we’ve all shared one thing in common — Wyoming. As COVID-19 swept across the country and did not spare anyone its effects, we as Wyomingites became almost painfully aware of how much we rely on each other in our small communities. We are all in this thing called “life” together. And not only us, but the natural world around us, too. 

As we sought some sense of normalcy, or an escape, many of us turned to the local outdoors. We watched spring come to our lawns and distant hills, heard the birds return to the branches of trees, felt the rush of the runoff in rivers, and in Lander we smelled apple blossoms in the air. Because we live in a state so sparsely populated and with some of the country’s best public lands right outside our doorsteps, we found ourselves grateful for where we live — and all of the people we share these places with.

I recognize that our Indigenous neighbors and friends have deep ties to Wyoming that predate statehood. Today, this place, this Wyoming, that many of us call home — with its abundant public lands, herds of roaming wildlife, pristine mountain streams and clean air — is a Wyoming we share with future generations. This Wyoming that I love is not mine alone, either. It is ours. All of ours. To cherish, to enjoy, to value, to share, and to protect. And that’s why, this year, more than ever, it is #OurWyoming. 

We’re asking those who submit this year to send us photos of this shared space — and who you shared Wyoming with. It can be your kids or friends at your favorite local viewpoint, your family on a picnic in a state park, your partner ahead of you on the trail, the mule deer who graces your backyard each morning, the bird of prey spotted soaring above, or the moose that stumbled into your campsite. It should not be a selfie! We’ll ask the winners to share a little statement about what that moment meant to them — and reflect on how it felt to share it.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

Entries must be submitted between July 15, 2020, and before midnight on September 15, 2020, either via email (claire@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org) or Instagram, using the hashtag #OurWyoming.

By entering, all contestants agree to release their photo to the Wyoming Outdoor Council for publication purposes. The Outdoor Council will select the winning photos, which will be published in the 2021 calendar. All submitted photos are subject to use.

Your entry to the contest constitutes your agreement to allow your entered photographs, as well as your name and the place the photograph was taken, to be published in the Wyoming Outdoor Council’s 2021 calendar and on the Outdoor Council’s website to promote the annual photo contest. Reproduction of entries will include the necessary photographer credit.

Photograph entries constitute permission to use the images in this manner with credit to the photographer without monetary compensation. Contest entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of the photographs they enter. Use of the entered photos in any other fashion or in any other publications will only occur with permission from the entrant.

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Field Notes


Scholarships support students committed to conservation

Posted on by John Burrows

This year the Wyoming Outdoor Council is proud to award $1,500 scholarships to five graduating high school seniors from Wyoming — who all have demonstrated a commitment to conservation values and protecting Wyoming’s environment and quality of life. The five students plan to study a wide range of topics in conservation and resource management and will be pursuing related degrees. These scholarships were made possible thanks to the generous support of the Blue Ridge Fund of Wyoming. Congratulations! 

  • Tessa Coughenour (Natrona County High School) will study environmental design at Montana State University.
  • Parker Goodwin (Cody High School) will study engineering at the University of Wyoming.
  • Mallie Gray (Natrona County High School) will study reclamation and restoration ecology at the University of Wyoming.
  • Kai Lynn (Cody High School) will study biology at Northwest College with plans to transfer to the University of Wyoming to complete a degree in wildlife biology. 
  • Rachel Stoinski (Lander Valley High School) will study wildlife and fisheries biology and  management at the University of Wyoming

We will continue to offer these scholarships each year to help support the next generation of conservation-minded Wyomingites. If you know a young person who may qualify, please spread the word and watch for the next opportunity to apply in early 2021.

Field Notes


Intern Diary: An incredible week of learning at the Wyoming Legislature

Posted on by Guest Author

It all started on a Sunday at the Equality State Policy Center’s SHAPE training, a program aimed at empowering citizens to engage with Wyoming politics. It offers ideas, skills, strategies, and tactics for advocating, not just at the Wyoming State Legislature, but anywhere. This material proved useful, as I was scheduled to begin my work with Wyoming Outdoor Council folks, including Steff Kessler, Kristen Gunther, and Mike Kusiek, the next day. 

I stayed in Cheyenne at the WOC house, which gave me the ability to focus completely on the experience and work without the worry of commuting. Staying together also gave us time to debrief in the evening and strategize in the morning. Hearing how these veterans thought about and processed their day gave me a great deal of insight into how to organize my own experience and to interpret what I was seeing and hearing. While I was focusing on different bills any given day, in many ways each day had a similar rhythm. There were often committee meetings before the House or Senate began, so that was the time to testify, if it was appropriate, as well as listen to the front line deliberation. 

I greatly appreciated when Steff or Kristen clarified background information about a representative or an issue that was not clear from the first hearing. Much of the rest of my days were spent listening to the House or Senate debates while attempting to draw out a lawmaker in order to offer them a bit more information or perspective on an upcoming vote. Sometimes there were evening committee meetings or informal gatherings where I met legislators and offered warm words or thank yous. I had the opportunity to meet my House representative at one such dinner, something that surely would not have happened otherwise. I also felt confident enough to walk up to my senator and introduce myself since I had a context in which to engage him.  

I was amazed by the array of bills addressed during a session, and gained an appreciation for the effort that our legislators voluntarily put in for weeks. I also gained a great deal of respect for the work that lobbyists and advocates do for the legislators. Legislators do not have staff and often can read about the upcoming bills only shortly before a vote. Having well-informed advocates to do some of the research for the legislator is actually important; and thus, gaining a good reputation and rapport is crucial for good relationships with legislators.

On Wednesday of my internship week, I did not have any particular task in front of me and decided to see what the Senate Minerals committee was reviewing. There were two bills, HB 4, Wyoming coal marketing program, and HB 3, Wyoming energy authority – amendments. HB 4 proposed that a program be established to market Wyoming’s coal and address some of the monetary impacts faced by communities as the coal market changes. It was a modest amount of money, and, as such, seemed like not much of a help — for either idea. I had not spoken in a committee meeting before and was a bit nervous. However, the chair, Sen. Anderson, was gracious and humorous as I made a comment about the small amount of money for something like international marketing and perhaps it would be best to simply focus on assisting impacted communities.  The bill passed committee with only the chair against.

Emboldened by my “success” at my first attempt to speak, I also decided to speak up on HB 3 — a bill meant to clarify some language and authority about public utilities, including creating a “Wyoming energy authority” board. I was curious as to the description of the board members. It stated that of the seven members, two had to be knowledgeable in the field of energy but an additional two had to be specifically knowledgeable of oil and gas issues. It struck me that that amendment stacked the board towards oil and gas, so I asked that specific question. Sen. Anderson suggested that, yes, the oil and gas folks were concerned that they would not be represented. However, my question was taken up by Sen. Rothfuss who said he had the same question and pursued the conversation further. Again, the bill passed the committee as written.

However, two things happened after the committee adjourned that were quite satisfying, especially as this was the first time I had spoken in a committee hearing. Sen. Anderson stopped to say thank you and that he had agreed with me that HB 4 seemed like “too little, too late,” which was why he voted against it. Then Sen. Rothfuss also stopped to thank me for my question as it was obvious he had similar concerns. Speaking in the committee was a great experience as Sen. Anderson was so supportive, and it was also really wonderful to have the senators make a point of thanking me for my input. I am now ready to tackle my next committee meeting knowing I will be heard and perhaps can even start a conversation among the committee members. 

It was a pure delight to be in the Capitol building. It is a beautiful structure with frescoes, floor tile designs, lovely wooden balconies, and high windows  I took some time to wander around, in and out of some offices, so I could see more of the building. I ran into a longtime employee who gave me an unofficial tour of all the small and large rooms with painted vault doors; we both wondered what would have been in each. Even the tunnel with the committee meeting rooms was nicely done with lots of natural light from the skylights. Coming to the Capitol in the early morning as the sun was just hitting the building was lovely, and I had to take photos of the edifice in the sun.  

In the end, I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Outdoor Council’s legislative internship program. I learned a great deal about the Wyoming Legislature, the role and importance of advocacy, and some about myself as well. I am much more likely to engage civically in the future and have a better idea of how to actually be useful in that role.

— Elizabeth Traver, Laramie, Legislative Intern 2020

Elizabeth Traver is a lab manager in the University of Wyoming’s Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics, as well as a doctoral student in soil science. She was one of the Outdoor Council’s five citizen interns during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2020 budget session.

Field Notes


In times of uncertainty, your voice is critical to conservation

Posted on by Lisa McGee

Like you, we at the Wyoming Outdoor Council are learning to cope with the changes to our everyday lives brought on by the spread of COVID-19. Most of our staff are working from home as a precaution and we’re all doing our best to practice social distancing, which includes a stop to all work-related travel. Some are juggling children who aren’t able to go to school or sharing tight quarters with spouses or partners. And we’re naturally all worried about the future and the health of our communities, neighbors and loved ones. 

(You can find information about COVID-19 treatment and prevention at the Centers for Disease Control website.)

But because our purpose is to conserve Wyoming’s natural resources and wild places forever, this isn’t the time to soften our efforts. Threats to Wyoming’s public lands, wildlife, air, and water will persist long after we’ve addressed the very real threats this illness poses today. As health professionals and public officials concentrate on treating and preventing COVID-19, we’ll remain focused on our mission. 

We’re grateful for your continued support to safeguard the Wyoming we love — now and for future generations — as we navigate these difficult times together. 

In the midst of escalating coronavirus concerns, we wrapped up a productive session of conservation advocacy at the Wyoming Legislature, submitted public comments on an upcoming oil and gas lease sale and solar energy development, and continued work on Teton County wastewater issues. 

So far in 2020, your voices have helped shape the governor’s executive order on big game migration corridors, defeat ill conceived bills in the legislature, and convince the DEQ not to allow more polluted wastewater to flow into Boysen Reservoir. Thank you. I hope your engagement doesn’t waver. 

In the near term, we’ll be exploring opportunities to host online trainings in grassroots advocacy, interactive Q&A sessions on topics like migration corridors, chronic wasting disease and climate change, a post-session (online) Beers & Bills, and educational resources for kids. Stay tuned for what we have in store, and feel free to send us your suggestions. 

Through the struggles and uncertainty that too often dominate our lives, the outdoors is what restores us mentally and physically. I hope you’re able to spend some outside — away from crowds, of course — to take care of yourself and those you love.

Thank you for being part of the Wyoming Outdoor Council community.