Campaigns ~ California

Troubleshooting your Letter of Support

What can I do with the pdf letter template?
Once you access the template, you can highlight and edit the text as you would in a word processing program.

To whom should I address the letter?
You can write separate letters to the two California senators and the representative for Goose Creek in District One. Use this Congressional Contact Sheet as a guide.

I can't access the pdf template, or I can't highlight and edit the text.
You may need to download or upgrade your version of Acrobat Reader.

I still can't access the letter.
Don't fret. Highlight, copy and paste the letter text (below) into a word processing program you're familiar with. Then follow the three steps (right) to send out your letter.

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Date

The Honorable Senator/Representative [full name]
United States Senate/House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator/Representative ____________,

I am writing to voice my support for U.S. Forest Service acquisition of lands within the watershed of Goose Creek, a tributary of northern California's Smith River.  Specifically, I urge you to champion a Fiscal Year 2008 request for $2.7 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for Goose Creek in the Six Rivers National Forest - Smith River National Recreation Area to protect this entire watershed in perpetuity.

The Smith River is the premier stronghold for salmon, steelhead and native trout in California.  It is unparalleled in its combination of natural river flows, protected habitat and lack of strong hatchery influence.  Goose Creek is the Smith’s largest tributary.  Without acquisition, the botanically diverse Goose Creek watershed will be subject to a new cycle of logging and road-building, putting the Smith’s pristine waters at risk. 

Thanks to your leadership in FY05 and FY06, we've secured $3.1 million in appropriations from the LWCF.  This allowed Western Rivers Conservancy to purchase more than 5,000 acres -- over half of the project lands -- and convey them to the Smith River National Recreation Area (NRA).  Now we must see this project to completion.

This is an outstanding opportunity, as Green Diamond Resource Company has agreed to sell its 9,483-acre ownership within the Goose Creek watershed to Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC).  The land will be incorporated into the existing Smith River National Recreation Area.  WRC, California Trout and the Smith River Alliance have partnered to make this acquisition a conservation priority.  It is rare that the public is given an opportunity to purchase such stellar fisheries habitat and add it to a well-managed conservation unit like the Smith River NRA. This project will help conserve the whole Smith River ecosystem as the benchmark of a healthy coastal river and a prime example of California's rich natural heritage.

Again, I urge you to support a FY08 request for $2.7 million from the LWCF that would allow the completion of the 9,483-acre transaction.  This will create a better managed watershed that is capable of sustaining large runs of salmon and trout, while enhancing the commercial and recreation economies dependent upon those runs.  Thank you for your continued support of healthy fisheries and rivers in California.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE  ZIP