Can We Be More Than Just Friends?
The Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation was created in 2008 to steward the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and foster appreciation of all wildlands. For generations, “The AB” has been well-loved. Our founders recognized the Forest Service needed a “Friends” support group to help keep trails sustainable and accessible, for lakeside campsites to not be trammeled, and for future generations to learn, first-hand, the values of all that Wilderness has to teach us.
Over the past 17 years, this small but determined nonprofit has delivered more than $2 million in value through nearly 1,500 volunteers, maintaining over 4,500 miles of trail, performing weekly outreach with our Trailhead Ambassador team, and building programs like Solitude Monitoring that directly support federal wilderness metrics.
The kind of work ABWF does for the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is as necessary today as when we were founded; this wilderness still needs us. But sometimes, that need takes a different shape, and goes beyond maintaining trails and pulling invasive weeds. Sometimes, we have to use our voices for the wilderness, too.
That’s where you come in.
Since fall 2024, the Forest Service has been rocked by hiring freezes, budget cuts, and mass layoffs. Now, under the looming threat of even more job cuts and the continual threats of land privatization, the strain on public lands is undeniable.
Most alarming of all, a bill now before the U.S. Senate would force the sale of at least 2 million acres of public land—including large swaths of the Shoshone National Forest, directly adjacent to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. These are not hypotheticals or abstract threats to far away places. These are real places we know and love. And they are in danger. And we need your help to halt this threat.
A portion of the public land up for sale in the lower-48 States if the Senate reconciliation bill passes. The lands of the greater Absaroka-Beartooth area next to Yellowstone National Park are circled. Image of an interactive map from The Wilderness Society.
Advocacy with a UPPERcase "a"
ABWF doesn’t lobby for policy or litigate. This is often referred to as capital “A” Advocacy. That’s not our lane. However, we do advocate (with a small “a”) every single day. Like any non-profit, we wouldn’t exist without strong stories communicating our values and why it matters.
But we speak up directly for our public lands and wilderness areas—because we must.
Our very mission is to expand appreciation and stewardship of public lands. When that very public land is threatened, silence isn’t an option.
Just like a clogged waterbar, small warning signs can quickly erode an entire trail if ignored. Once that tread is gone, the damage is nearly impossible to undo.
Take Action Now
The Senate Reconciliation Bill could become law as early as July 4. Here’s what’s at stake:
· Over 250 million acres of public lands are eligible for sale
· Nearly 100,000 miles of trails and 3,400 river miles could be lost
· Wyoming’s High Lakes Wilderness Study Area and lands along the Beartooth & Chief Joseph Highways could be sold without notice or input
· Once sold, they’re gone for good
Even if the bill passes, public pressure can prevent individual parcels from being nominated for sale down the road.
That’s why your voice matters now.
How to Help
📞 Call the U.S. Senate Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Ask to speak to your Senators. Tell them:
· You oppose any attempt to sell off public lands
· You value the Absaroka-Beartooth region and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
· These lands are critical for clean water, wildlife, hunting, fishing, and recreation
· There must be public input before decisions of this magnitude
📧 Can’t call? Email or use your Senators’ contact forms. Find them HERE
📰 Sign up for ABWF emails to stay informed on this and other critical issues.
We were founded to help carry the load of caring for public lands. But today, the burden is growing too fast, and too heavy, to carry alone. This is a defining moment—not just for the ABWF, but for all of us who care about public lands.
It’s time to be more than just friends.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT:
Support Our Work – Every dollar helps protect the AB Wilderness from the ground up
Volunteer with Us – Help maintain trails, monitor solitude, or educate visitors at trailheads
Learn More – Who we are, what we do, and why it matters
The popular Island Lake area along the Beartooth Highway #212, Wyoming. An area prime for development should it be sold off.