Take Action

Urge Senators Alexander & Corker to reintroduce the Tennessee Wilderness Act!

The Tennessee Wilderness Act has been introduced in the past two Congress', but thus far has failed to receive a floor vote in the U.S. Congress. This legislation designates 19,556 acres of existing public land in the Cherokee National Forest as federal wilderness, at no expense to the American taxpayer. This designation will protect some of Tennessee's wildest landscapes from logging, road building and other forms of development - in perpetuity! The legislation expands five existing wilderness areas and creates the first new wilderness area in Tennessee in more than 26 years: the 9,038 acre Upper Bald River Wilderness located in Monroe County near Tellico Plains, TN.

In 2011, this bill passed the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee with bi-partisan support. It is our hope that the bill will soon be reintroduced and will pass the 113th Congress and become the law of the land. And the timing for passage is perfect! 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964. This important legislation created America's Wilderness Preservation System.

Please take a moment and urge your two U.S. Senators to reintroduce this bill, and ask your Representative to vote 'YES' for wilderness in the House of Representatives. Thank you.

Take Action Now!

  • Contact Senator Alexander, thank him for his past leadership and urge him to reintroduce the the Tennessee Wilderness Act!
  • Contact Senator Corker, thank him for his past leadership and urge him to reintroduce the Tennessee Wilderness Act!
  • Contact your Congressional Representative and urge him/her to support the Tennessee Wilderness Act! Click here to find your Representative.

Tennessee's Congressional Delegation

Senator Lamar Alexander (R)

Senator Bob Corker (R)

Rep. Phil Roe (R), 1st District

Representative John J. Duncan Jr. (R), 2nd District

Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R), 3rd District

Additional Ways to Get Involved

  • Distribute materials, lead outings, host meetings or letter writing parties.
  • Invite Tennessee Wild's Jeff Hunter to speak to your club, civic group, or business
  • Arrange a group hike with Tennessee Wild's Jeff Hunter. Get a group of 12-20 together, and Jeff will lead a 2-3 hour naturalist walk along the John Muir Trail near Reliance, TN.

To volunteer or schedule a presentation or hike, please contact Jeff Hunter at 423-322-7866 or mailto:jeff@wildsouth.org