In 1985, when the Grand Canyon Trust was formed, the situation on the Colorado Plateau looked almost hopeless, with coal-fired power plant emissions enshrouding views, Glen Canyon Dam damaging beaches and riparian habitats in the Grand Canyon, 16 million tons of uranium tailings leaching into the Colorado River in Moab, and irresponsible grazing practices destroying fragile forest and desert ecosystems.
So a group of visionaries came together on a river trip through the Grand Canyon and pledged to take action, founding the Grand Canyon Trust and melding science, principle and savvy to defend the towering red rock cliffs and plummeting canyons we all cherish.
This edition of the Advocate celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Grand Canyon Trust, and highlights some of its many achievements.
In the next 30 years, an even greater effort is needed to protect this place many call our greatest national treasure—and some of us are privileged to call home—and that’s where you can help. Rampant energy development, uranium mining, ill-conceived commercial tourism, climate change and drought, inefficient public lands policies, and paltry funding for land management all threaten this beloved region.
I invite you to enjoy this issue of the Advocate and to help us achieve our vision of a healthy and prosperous region in the future by supporting the Trust with a financial contribution.
Together, we can protect the diverse resources and communities of this special place for another 30 years, and beyond.
Sincerely,
