National Public Lands Day 

September 19, 2003

Des Moines --- Saturday (September 20th) is the 10th annual National Public 
Lands Day. Across the country volunteers will work to improve wildlife habitat, 
plant trees, remove trash, and build trails and bridges. Comments from 
Campaign for America's Wilderness executive director Mike Matz and Erin Jordahl with 
the Iowa Sierra Club. 

Suggested script:  SATURDAY IS THE 10TH ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY. 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY VOLUNTEERS WILL WORK TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT, PLANT TREES, 
REMOVE TRASH, AND BUILD TRAILS AND BRIDGES.  MIKE MATZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 
THE CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICA'S WILDERNESS, SAYS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS BEING 
TWO-FACED WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS.
Actuality Cut #56%%ID%% (TRT: 20) "On the one hand, they're part of some of 
the celebrations around the country, but on the other hand, they're adopting 
policies that undermine protection of these public lands, and in fact, making it 
difficult for people to get a special place for them protected as 
wilderness."

ERIN JORDAHL WITH THE IOWA SIERRA CLUB SAYS WHILE IOWA DOESN'T HAVE ANY 
FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS, WE NEED TO SAVE THE LAST LARGE NATIVE PRAIRIE, THE LOESS 
HILLS.
Actuality Cut #57%%ID%% (TRT: 22) "We need to look at the lands that are 
still publicly owned, that are owned by the state or the counties and do 
restoration work on those. Get rid of the cedar trees, help to bring back the prairie 
grasses. And then on lands that are privately owned, work with those landowners 
to put in conservation practices."

Suggested tag: JORDAHL SAYS LOESS HILLS IS CURRENTLY UNDER THREAT BY 
DEVELOPMENT AND OVERGROWTH OF NON-GRASSLAND PLANT SPECIES. 
Editor's note:  Interviews with Mike Matz can be arranged by calling Erica 
Stanley at 202-266-0437. Erin Jordahl can be reached at 515-277-8868.





Erin E. Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
[log in to unmask]
www.iowa.sierraclub.org

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see:
 http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp