Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker have introduced legislation that would add almost 20,000 acres of wilderness to the Cherokee National Forest across six East Tennessee counties.

The areas involved include:
• 9,038 acres in the newly created Upper Bald River Wilderness in Monroe County.
• 348 acres added to Big Frog Wilderness in Polk County.
• 966 acres added to Little Frog Wilderness in Polk County.
• 2,922 acres added to Sampson Mountain Wilderness in Washington and Unicoi counties.
• 4,446 acres added to the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness in Carter and Johnson counties.
• 1,836 acres added to the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness in Monroe County.

Wilderness protection is reserved for federal lands that rank high in scenery, biological diversity and recreational opportunities. Once added to the National Wilderness Preservation System, the areas are protected in perpetuity from logging, mining and road building but remain open to traditional recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding on existing trails and roads.

The bill would not affect privately owned lands or make changes to public access.

Show your support for this important legislation by writing your Congressional Representative and Senators, and urging them to join Senators Alexander and Corker in protecting some of Tennessee’s most outstanding examples of wilderness.