BSA News: "Stand Up for Yellowstone" Rally, Feb, 2003

February 15, 2003

"Stand Up for Yellowstone" Rally

Skiers, snowshoers and other snowsports enthusiasts crowded the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park Feb. 15 to urge the National Park Service and the Bush administration to protect the world's first national park by eliminating the private and commercial snowmobile use that is harming Yellowstone and ruining the natural wild experience it offers its visitors.

The "Stand Up for Yellowstone" rally inside the west gate of the world's first national park drew about 80 participants from around the country. Skiers, snowshoers and others filled Winter Wildlands Alliance's Park Service-approved rally area, greeting incoming snowmobilers with waves and signs reading "Nature Needs Clean Air," "Protect Our Wildlife," and "Yellowstone's A Treasure."

Winter Wildlands Alliance began organizing the "Stand Up for Yellowstone" rally last fall after it became clear that the Bush administration and the National Park Service planned to recommend snowmobiles enjoy continued access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks despite evidence they are taking a huge toll on the parks' resources, wildlife, and experiences by other visitors.

Joining Winter Wildlands in the rally were dozens of demonstrators from Great Old Broads for Wilderness, who along with the WWA demonstrators met at length with members of Congress, including Reps. Rush Holt, D-NJ; Joe Hoeffel, D-Pa.; and Nick Rahall, D-W.Va. Holt is a prime sponsor of the Yellowstone Protection Act, which Hoeffel also supports and which Rahall said he would co-sponsor after meeting with park officials, demonstrators and seeing the snowmobile scene during the President's Day weekend.

"It was important for us to be here this President's Day, with the Park Service about to issue its recommendations on the future winter use of Yellowstone," Winter Wildlands Executive Director Sally Grimes said. "The skiers and snowshoers who took time out of their busy schedules to be here encouraged each other, but also sent a strong message to the Park Service and to the West Yellowstone community that Yellowstone and its gateway communities can both flourish after the snowmobiles are gone."

WWA President Sarah Michael, who is also a county commissioner from Blaine County, ID, said the presence of the human-powered snowsports enthusiasts made it clear that Yellowstone would be better off without snowmobiles, but also should help convince many in Congress that they need to sign onto the Yellowstone Protection Act.

"The fact that one of the most high-ranking members of Congress, Mr. Rahall, decided during this President's Day trip to sign onto the YPA shows the skiers contributed to protecting the park," Michael said. "You can't come here during snowmobile season and go home feeling this is the best future for Yellowstone National Park."

Yellowstone officials said the WWA rally inside the west gate - the busiest snowmobile entrance into the park - was the first winter demonstration in recent memory. Besides the Saturday morning demonstration, rally participants took guided trips to explore more quiet areas of Yellowstone country, as well as participating in the sound survey to help show even the quieter machines can be heard by non-snowmobilers from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful.