The Jack Morrow Hills– Wild Heart of the West

The Jack Morrow Hills, located in south-central Wyoming’s Red Desert, is one of the most unique and spectacular landscapes in North America. It is a wondrous place that boasts towering buttes, immense sand dune fields, rainbow-colored hoodoos, and prehistoric rock art. It is also a true wildlife wonder, providing key habitat for more than 350 wildlife species, including the largest desert elk herd in North America, large populations of sage grouse and peregrine falcons and the largest migratory antelope herd in the continental United States. This national treasure also offers exceptional wilderness hiking, hunting and camping opportunities.

Targeted by the Oil and Gas Industry

Unfortunately, this spectacular landscape is threatened by efforts to turn it into an industrial zone dominated by oil and gas development. The BLM has recently released a new draft management plan for the 600,000 acre Jack Morrow Hills. Unfortunately, the draft plan offers no real protection for the region’s magnificent wildlife and wildlands. Even the BLM’s so-called preservation alternative opens the door to the oil and gas industry — along with all the roads, pipelines, and utility lines it wants to build.

Your Help is Needed to Save These Magnificent Lands

The BLM is mandated to manage these lands for all Americans — not just for a powerful special interest group. That is why it is so important for us, as public landowners, to speak out for protection of these special places at upcoming public meetings. Unfortunately, the BLM, in an attempt to shut other concerned Americans out of the process, is only sponsoring public hearings in Rock Springs and Lander. To try and provide an avenue for people in southeast Wyoming to be heard, we are providing transportation and refreshments for those who are willing to make the trip to Rock Springs.

The Rock Springs public hearing will be held on April 9th at Western Wyoming Community College, Room 1302, 2500 College Drive at 7:00 PM. If you are interested in riding in one of our vans, please send an RSVP as soon as possible to angie@voiceforthewild.org. After you RSVP, more information will be provided (departure times, etc). We will be leaving from Laramie. However, depending on response, we are willing to pick up people from Cheyenne and Rawlins as well.