5. Hope for a New Hampshire Forest
6. (Not Such a) Bright Idea in the Sterling Forest, NY
7. An Erosion Explosion (ORVs in RI and NH)

October brought good news for the forests, mountains, and streams of the Appalachian region. Thanks in part to your letters and phone calls Congress has approved substantial conservation funding for next year's budget. Programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Forest Legacy received critically-needed funds that will go toward protecting threatened places in the Central Appalachian Highlands and Northern Forest. Among the places that will be protected in perpetuity are: the Newark watershed ($5 million) and Walkill NWR ($2 million) in New Jersey, the Adirondak Lakes in New York ($2 million), the Connecticut River headwaters in New Hampshire ($3.6 million), and Tumbledown Mountain ($.6 million) and the West Branch of the Penobscot River ($4 million) in Maine. Conserving these places means they will always be available for wildlife, watershed protection, and quiet recreation.

Take a minute to thank your members of Congress for their support and hard work. It is important that we let them know how much we appreciate their conservation efforts. Send a quick thanks at: http://ga0.org/ct/ypasSR41ucFE/Thanks

As Congress prepares to reauthorize the Farm Bill, conservationists and members of Congress are working to increase the share of funding allocated to promote conservation measures for farmland, forests, water and wildlife, especially in the East. Although such efforts were narrowly defeated in the House, hopes have turned to the Senate for developing legislation to significantly increase funding for conservation. As we mentioned last month, the President supports funding such programs. The Farm Bill has traditionally provided billions of dollars each year for farm subsidies ($32 billion in 2000) to large Midwestern farms while neglecting smaller-scale farmers and woodlot owners.

Be a voice for conservation for small farms and forests. Please urge your senators to support funding to protect lands of regional and national significance like the Northern Forest and Highlands in the next Farm Bill: http://ga0.org/ct/h1asSR41ucFU/Farm_Bill

In what could be a great boost for protecting threatened places in the Northern Forest and Central Appalachian Highlands, the American Wildlife Enhancement Act (S. 990) was introduced earlier this year in the Senate. This bill would provide states with much-needed funds for the protection of significant natural areas, as well as the protection of wildlife and endangered species. The bill comes at a critical time when over 6 million acres of land in the Northern Forest have changed hands in the last 2 years, and sprawl and industrial development threaten prized outdoor recreation areas in the Highlands of NJ, NY, CT, and PA. Tell your senators that you support S. 990 and ask them to co-sponsor the legislation. Your letters, emails, and calls will all make a difference in getting this bill passed into law!

Contact your senators today and ask them to co-sponsor the American Wildlife Enhancement Act (S. 990): http://ga0.org/ct/hpasSR41ucFn/Wildlife

All entrance fees to national park areas, national forests and wildlife refuges will be waived for the Veteran's Day Holiday Weekend (Nov. 10-12) to allow Americans the opportunity to seek solace and inspiration from the nation's public lands. We hope you find time to reconnect with the natural landscapes and special places that provide for outdoor recreation and spiritual renewal. If there isn't a national park or wildlife refuge near you, don't despair; you can always head out to a state park or forest for some quality time outdoors. For more information, go to www.doi.gov.

When International Paper, Inc. (IP) put 171,000 acres of forestland in northern New Hampshire up for sale this summer, many wondered what would become of the last large privately held tract of land in the state. These lands contain the headwaters for both the Connecticut and Androscoggin Rivers, and provide habitat for moose, lynx, loons, and other animal life. Now, four months later, a special committee appointed by Governor Jeanne Shaheen and NH Senator Judd Gregg will soon decide how best to ensure the future of this land for its ecological, timber, and recreational values. The state has just released a plan for public review that ensures the land will never be developed, will only allow sustainable forestry on the land and includes a 25,000-acre protected natural area. Stay tuned for more information in next month's "Get Out, Speak Up."

New Hampshire residents, you can let your elected officials know what you'd like to see protected on this 171,000-acre forest at http://ga0.org/ct/hdasSR41ucFy/IP_Lands  

6. (NOT SUCH) A BRIGHT IDEA IN THE STERLING FOREST, NY

In the mid-1990's, 18,000 acres of Sterling Forest were protected to ensure clean drinking water for millions of New Jersey residents and to provide open space close to New York City. Today Sterling Forest is recognized throughout the region as a critical treasure of the New York Highlands. But now, on private land that sits in the very center of Sterling Forest State Park, developers are seeking to build a housing development and golf course. Local citizens are mobilizing to stop the development, and are holding an organizing meeting on November 12 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, at the Red Apple Rest, Route 17 in Tuxedo (contact below for details). The public will have an opportunity to comment on this proposal on November 28 in Tuxedo, NY at 7 PM at the Tuxedo Town Hall.

To learn more about the proposed Sterling Forest development and to help in the efforts to protect this land contact AMC's Highlands Conservation Director, Tom Gilbert at tgilbert@igc.org, or AMC's New York/North Jersey Chapter Conservation Chair Jill Hamell at jmh@pobox.com (973-463-1881).

Off-road vehicles (ORVs) have been making their way into forests and parks across the country and are most likely seeking access to lands near you. ORVs, including motorized 4-wheelers and dirt bikes are an increasing threat to the natural integrity of our forests and parks, and land managers are having difficulty controlling their use. ORVs cause substantial erosion, air pollution, stress wildlife, and are often in conflict with non-motorized users. At least two states in the Northeast, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, are re-examining ORV use and their regulations right now. In New Hampshire, a legislative committee is taking public comment and will be producing a report with recommendations to the legislature. In Rhode Island, legal use on state lands has severely damaged trails, and the Department of Environmental Management is re-examining future in state management areas.

Rhode Island residents can attend a hearing on ORV use on state lands on November 20 at 7PM at the Police Station in Warwick, RI. For more information e-mail bwentzell@amcinfo.org.

If you live in New Hampshire, let the legislative committee know your concerns about ORV use on public lands at: http://ga0.org/ct/h7asSR41ucFh/ORVs