More about the Sand Hills Region: Get Involved! Wilderness Notebooks: Lewis and Clark, in their own words

Careless development and motorized transportation threaten the Sand Hills, where remaining roadless areas must be permanently protected as wilderness.

The U.S. Forest Service is finalizing a management plan for the region. The Sierra Club has been involved by recommending Wilderness Area protection - the highest level of protection for public lands - for more of the region.

The agency has identified three roadless areas, but so far is opting to protect only one of them; one roadless area of 67,000 acres is not recommended for protection.

What you can do:Contact the Nebraska forest supervisor in Chadron, Neb., and ask that all roadless areas be protected. Write: Forest Supervisor, 125 N. Main, Nebraska National Forest, Chadron, NE 69337

Keep up on the issue by contactint Laura Krebsbach at laura.krebsbach@sierraclub.org, or (402) 475-2292.

Photo courtesy Ron Kurtzer.