NEW Missouri Wilderness for the 21st Century
by Caroline Pufalt
 

Lower Rock Creek Photo by Scott Merritt (www.mowild.org)

Think environmental issues for the 21st century and what likely comes to mind first may be global warming, greenhouse gas reduction, carbon footprints, renewable energy and other facets of climate change concern. It is proper that these daunting challenges command our attention.
However, we need to also remind ourselves of one of the earliest struggles that helped build the Sierra Club and, more importantly, preserved millions of acres of wild lands for us to enjoy and from which we reap vast ecological benefits. That effort, the establishment of federally designated Wilderness areas, continues today. Read more...

National Forest Sales Update
by Caroline Pufalt

Van East Mountain Photo by Jim Scheff

In a previous issue of this newsletter we reported on the Bush administration's 2007 proposal to sell parcels of National Forest land across the country to provide temporary funds for rural schools. Our position, and the position of many other citizen's groups and legislators, is that this a bad idea. But unfortunately this administration has a hard time rejecting bad ideas. Thus the proposal to auction off 300,000 acres of National Forest land is included in the president's 2008 proposed budget. Included are about 21,500 acres from Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest. Read more...

Mark Twain National Forest Appeal Rejected
Some gains negotiated for Lower Rock Creek
by Caroline Pufalt
 

Smith Creek Photo by Carrie Yonley

In prior issues of this newsletter we discussed our administrative appeal of the new Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) plan. The Missouri chapter, along with other citizen conservation organizations, filed an administrative appeal of the 2005 Mark Twain National Forest Management plan. See the Oct-Dec 2006 Missouri Sierran issue for an explanation of key issues in our appeal. Read more...

An eight-lane I-70? That's what they want now...
by Ron McLinden
  The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has nearly completed environmental studies required for re-building 200 miles of I-70 across Missouri as a six-lane facility. The anticipated cost is in the $2.5 to $3.0 billion range.
But even before that gets underway, MoDOT and its friends are promoting a plan to make I-70 an eight-lane highway, with four of those lanes dedicated to truck traffic. Read more...

Chapter Conservation and Executive Committee Report

Chapter Executive Committee (From left to right: Leslie Lihou, Caroline Pufalt, Ginger Harris, Becky Denney, Jim Turner, Henry Robertson, Cheryl Hammond, Bob Zeller)

The weekend of May 5 2007 the Missouri Chapter Conservation and Executive committees met in Cape Girardeau for our bimonthly meeting. Cape Girardeau is the "home" of the Trail of Tears Group of the Missouri Chapter Sierra Club.
Although we call this our chapter Excom/Conscom meeting, it is also a chance for us to get together, socialize, share good food and maybe get in a short evening hike. This weekend was no exception. We met in the evening at Alan and Kathy Journet's house. Their home is a lovely site including a fish pond and nearly all the bird feeders one can imagine. Those of us from out of town appreciated the great home cooking and good conversation we shared with local Sierrans. Read more...

It Takes a Movement
by Jim Turner, Missouri Chapter Chair

The Sierra Club Board of Directors recently challenged us to gear up for more coordinated action by Club members, to address the politics and culture of global warming and other urgent problems. In coming months we will be hearing more about how activists of the Chapters can make that happen. Without a step-up in actions by environmentalists, social inertia is likely to maintain many habits in how Americans consume and produce goods and services, and those habits will keep on hurting the environment just as they do now. Read more...

Robert Emmett (Bob) Morris is a national leader among Sierra Club volunteers. His latest contribution is his Climate Change novel “The Owl and the Oak”. The novel conveys Morris's concern that as we try to steer America toward sustainability, we struggle against leaders of the oil and coal industries whose interests lie in maintaining present consumption trends. Read more...

ANNOUNCEMENT: Consider Joining the Missouri Chapter ExCom in January 2008
The Missouri Chapter is seeking persons to run for the 2008 Executive Committee (ExCom). The ExCom manages the Chapter finances and budget; takes care of Chapter business having to do with office, staff, and correspondence; endorses political candidates after recommendations from the Chapter Political Committee; ensures that the Chapter committees have leadership; and sets direction for the Sierra Club in Missouri. The ExCom meets once every two months in cities across Missouri. ExCom members strongly support the Sierra Club mission to “Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet.” Read more...

21st Annual Missouri Chapter Campout & Reunion

Our annual fall campout will be held October 5-7, 2007 at beautiful Camp "Si" Colborn Group Camp in Mark Twain State Park. The park is almost surrounded by Mark Twain Lake, between Columbia and Hannibal. The Camp has rustic cabins and a large dining lodge. There will be plenty of outings, activities for the whole family (a great Sam Clemens museum), good food, a bonfire, and a chance to form new friendships and renew old ones.

The campout is put together by volunteers, and we could really use any help you could provide. If you would like to lead an outing, assist with children's' activities, plan or supervise a meal, contribute items to our silent auction, or just want to assist with odd jobs such as camp preparation or clean-up, we would really appreciate it.

Please send in reservations by Sept 15, 2007 Read more...