Doug Scott, one of the nation's leading experts on wilderness, will be traveling through northwest Pennsylvania over the next week discussing the history of wilderness protection and supporting local citizens in an historic effort to protect their public lands and wilderness.

His presentations are free and open to the public and are presented by Friends of Allegheny Wilderness.

Scott will present selections from his book, The Enduring Wilderness, and will talk about the work of local people to protect public lands. Scott will answer questions about wilderness and talk specifically about efforts to protect the remaining wild areas of the Allegheny National Forest.

The speaking events will be held--

· March 12 at 7:00 p.m. in Bradford, PA: University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Mukaiyama University Room in the Frame-Westerberg Commons (in cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Environmental Studies Program);

· March 13, 7:00 p.m. in Warren, PA: Warren Public Library;

· March 14, 7:00 p.m. in Erie, PA: Tom Ridge Environmental Center (in cooperation with the Lake Erie Group of the Pennsylvania Chapter Sierra Club); and

· March 15, 7:00 p.m. in Meadville, PA: Allegheny College (in cooperation with the Allegheny College Department of Environmental Science)

Scott was involved in the founding of Earth Day; has worked on every major piece of wilderness legislation over the last four decades, including the enactment of the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act, the Endangered American Wilderness Act, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

Today he serves as Policy Director for the Campaign for America's Wilderness.

For more information, go to the Friends of Allegheny Wilderness or contact Kirk Johnson with Friends of Allegheny Wilderness at 814-723-0620 or John Bartlett with Friends of Allegheny Wilderness at 814-676-4474.

3/9/2007