Wyoming Wilderness Association

The Wyoming Wilderness Association (wwa) had four major public lands campaigns in 2023; bridger-teton, shoshone, bighorn national forest, the blm's red desert were all landscapes of focus in 2023. These campaigns involved educating our members, the general public, school groups, businesses, diverse organizations, and elected officials on the future of these wild places, current management, plan revisions, and draft legislation discussions. Wwa gave presentations on the value of Wilderness areas to aformentioned groups, including teaching about the cultural history and ecology and the importance of preserving this wild heritage for future generations. Concerned citizens wrote comments on proposed projects, produced letters to the editor, and attended public meetings around public land managment based on our educational outreach efforts. Wwa's outreach work was accomplished through printed and distributed materials, email alerts, brochures, business packets, newsletters, and 11 tabling events. In addition, wwa informed the public through our free outings, website, and social media platforms. While serving to protect Wyoming's public wildlands, wwa staff, board members, and supporters also volunteered on stewardship projects on national forests and blm lands.

In 2023, wwa continued to elevate the stewardship pillar of our mission. Wwa was able to involve 119 volunteers and 1,140 volunteer hours which allowed us to: conduct solitude monitoring projects in three designated wildernesses, promote youth advocacy, conduct rapid campsite monitoring on 760 Wilderness sites in the cloud peak Wilderness and remove 2.0 miles of downed barbwired fence on forest and blm Wilderness study area land. Training protocols for solitude monitoring and rapid campsite data collection were provided through five wwa led trainings.

In 2023, wwa had over 200 participants on 25 total different outings across the state . Outings led participants into an incredible array of landscapes boasting ecological diversity, wildlife migration corridors, and not your average "rock and ice" potential Wilderness. In addition, 120 total students went on 10 various outdoor adventures through participation in one of the three sheridan county high school outdoor clubs. In addition, wwa provided three leave no trace and public land educational outings with one alternative high school in buffalo. Finally, over 40 volunteers helped wwa support 120 runners safely participate in the run the red footrace held on Wyoming public lands day. This collaborative running event celebrates the rugged landscape of the northern red desert and educates all participants around the ways to help advocate for its' protection. Other outreach events included: two live backcountry film festivals and another year of hosting banff mountain film festival in sheridan.

In 2023, wwa continued to elevate the education pillar of our mission. Wwa helped maintain three outdoor clubs at local highschools with the focus around education, stewardship, and outdoor recreation. The program is being led by high school teachers and have upwards of 130+ students involved in exploring their backyard: the bighorn national forest. Around 80% of the participants are experiencing some of these outdoor activities (i.e. Climbing, mountain biking, skiing, fly fishing) for the first time. Wwa is proud to help lead an effort to get our youth connected with the outdoors which will hopefully in turn create wildland advocates in the future. Wwa provided three live film festivals to educate around conservation initiatives and outdoor adventure: over 360 participants at the sheridan banff centre mountain film festival, 100+ participants at the sheridan backcountry film festival and over 200+ participants at the laramie backcountry film festival. In 2023, wwa continued to serve and fill leadership roles on committees and boards around the state: bridger-teton working group, bridger-teton inter- tribal symposium working group, citizens for the red desert collaborative, sheridan county agriculture/natural resources/public lands committee, Wyoming nonprofit network board, and civic rural leadership initiatives. Wwa educates committee members and our supporters around public land management and proposed legislation. Public comment was gathered from wwa emailing alerts, notices, portals and public meeting updates. Additionally, wwa hosted and/or attended multiple virtual and live public meetings, presentations, and workshops to inform the public and encourage personalized comments around large scale plans, such as the shoshone travel management plan. Many constituents find value in these wild landscapes and wwa informs the public on how to stay engaged and have their voice heard. Wwa continued to advocate for Wilderness study areas and will continue to do so in 2023 as continued draft legislation is being worked on in the northern red desert around these priority landscapes as well as the wpli bill concerning Wilderness study areas as it makes another appearance in congress. Wwa continued to make great strides in 2023 around collaboration, communication and relationship building with various stakeholders, with a continued emphasis on tribal engagement, federal agencies and conservation groups also working in these landscapes. Partnership efforts included: stewardship projects, several film screening events, outdoor recreational outings, informational events, youth engagement, land management meetings and the opportunity to serve on various panels and present during conservation conferences.