Letter from the Chair: Bob Zeller

The Trail of Tears Group covers a large area of Southeast Missouri, stretching from just south of metro St. Louis to the Arkansas line and from the Mississippi River west into the Ozarks. It is a region of great natural and cultural diversity and, as I’m sure many of you have experienced first hand, also one of great beauty. The mission of our Group, in line with that of the larger entities of which it is a part, is to preserve, protect, and enjoy this region.
        With that in mind, I would like to invite all of you, and especially those outside the Cape-Jackson area, to consider becoming more active in your participation in Group activities. For example, if you are interested in proposing an outing in your area, please contact me or Outings Chair Adam Gohn.
        Or you might want to help protect the remaining wild places in our region. I would call your attention to the current proposal to add five new Wilderness Areas and two new Wilderness Study Areas in the Mark Twain National Forest. Five of these seven areas fall partly or entirely within the Trail of Tears region. For more information, you can go to the Web site of the Missouri Wilderness Coalition (www.mowild.org).
        Finally, Membership Chair Kathy Conway and I recently took part in a training session introducing us to the use of the Sierra Club’s HELEN database. I hope to be able to use the database to contact new members as they join the Club and alert those who might be interested about opportunities to participate in Group activities.

Conservation Report: Alan Journet
Wilderness for Missouri.
        Those few locations in our nation where “in contrast to other areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape – the earth and its community are untrammeled by man” are defined legally as ‘Wilderness’.  Currently, in Missouri, just seven areas within the Mark Twain National Forest are so designated, lands totaling just 64,000 acres.  Added to these acres is an eighth area, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge.  These areas are protected from mining, logging, road-building and off-road vehicles; in them natural communities survive without human management.
        Currently, over 90% of the Mark Twain National Forest is open to logging, with some 20,000 acres being logged each year. Meanwhile, 87% is open to motorized vehicles and most of the forest is potentially open to destructive lead mining.  Just 4.3% of the Mark Twain, our public forest in Missouri, is designated as wilderness. Wilderness for Missouri, a group endorsed by a wide array of outdoors, wildlife, and environmental organizations, is proposing the designation of seven additional outstanding Wilderness Areas.  The group had hopes of obtaining support and endorsement for this venture from the entire Missouri federal congressional delegation – Democrat and Republican alike.  Reps. Emerson and Blunt have indicated, however, they are opposed.
For further information – or to find out how you can help, visit: www.mowild.org

SEMOCPI
        The Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative, spawned last year by the Trail of Tears Group of the Sierra Club among other interested and concerned groups, has been meeting regularly during the year and attempting to raise awareness among regional residents regarding the problem of climate change and what we, as individuals, can do  about it.  Initial meetings were held in the Cape Girardeau Public Library, but have since moved to the Osage Center as the old library has closed during extensive additions and renovation.
        For information on what SEMOCPI is doing, and for a wide array of links to relevant sites dealing with climate change, please visit: http://cstl.semo.edu/SEMOPCI .  Programs to date have dealt with food localization and the importance of buying locally grown produce, local food producers, and vehicle efficiency, energy alternatives, and alternative vehicles.
        Currently, the group is working with Withers Radio (KAPE 1550 A.M.) to broadcast a series of short Public Service Announcements under the banner ‘Climate Counters’ that will provide everyday tips on ways to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.  Meanwhile, during the Spring semester, I will be offering through the Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech, a course on ‘Climate Change: It’s Causes, Consequences and Counters’ and with Eric ‘Red’ Redinger a series of workshops on ‘Going Green’ again featuring tips for everyday living that can reduce our environmental footprint.
        The basic structure of the non-partisan  SEMOCPI is a series of working groups each addressing a set of related issues as we develop plans that will promote a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the area.  If you think climate change is a serious problem that deserves our collective grassroots attention, please join SEMOCPI at its next meeting, Thursday January 24^th at 7:00 p.m. in Room 1 of the Osage Center on N Kingshighway, in Cape.

Treasurer’s Report: Brian Alworth
        According to the old account book, we have about $1,500 in our treasury.    The good news is that a few calendar sales have begun to trickle in....the bad news is that we are somewhat behind last year's sales pace.  This is our only significant fund-raising effort of the year, so it would be great to be sold out by Christmas!    Contact me at btastorm@att.net  for quick calendar delivery!     

Seasonal Social:
        Our annual seasonal pot-luck social will be held this year at the home of Kathy Conway and Alan Journet (2812 Oakshire Circle, Cape Girardeau (for direction call: Home – 652 4182 or Cell 587-9095.  Both are 573 numbers.
DATE: Friday December 14^th
TIME: 6:00 p.m. – whenever.  Dinner followed by a slide program
FORMAT: Pot –luck

Trail of Tears Election:
This cycle, three members of the group Executive Committee are rotating off: Bob Zeller, Alan Journet and Judy Cureton.  While the first two have agreed to run again for re-election, Judy has decided to take some time off; we thank her for her service.   However, Brian Alworth, once again, has agreed to run for the Executive Committee.

Candidate notes and ballots follow:
Brian Alworth:
             As one of the 'founding members' of the Trail of Tears Group, my involvement with local environmental issues goes back farther than I'd like to admit.    After taking a few years off from being an official office holder in the group,  I'm ready now to dive back in and become more visibly active once again.   
             Perhaps it's due to the growing awareness of the threats posed by global warming, or perhaps it's because there are hints of a new political breeze, but this seems to be a good time to be an "environmentalist" in Southeast Missouri.  Let's take advantage of the new climate and re-invigorate our efforts!

Alan Journet:
        I have served the Trail of Tears Sierra Group since its inception in 1990.  During this period I have served also as the group representative to the Chapter Conservation Committee, as well at various times being a member of the chapter Legislative and Political Committees.  Most recently, with other Trail of Tears members, notably co-facilitator Kathy Conway, I have been involved in developing and co-facilitating the Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative, a group dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas production in the region. I would like to continue to serve the group by serving on the Executive Committee.

Bob Zeller:
    I would like to continue my service on the Executive Committee of the Trail of Tears Group. For the past year, I have served as Chair, and for the past several years I have been the Group representative to the Missouri Chapter Executive Committee. While we continue to face threats to our natural environment, we also can celebrate important victories. And we should also continue to enjoy the natural heritage that we enjoy in this region of Missouri.

Please check your three choices and mail your ballot to Carol Draper, 
1730 East Jackson Blvd, Jackson 63755 to arrive by December 31st 2007.  
If two members in your household, please both vote.

Candidate

Joint memberships: each member votes

First Member

Second Member

Alan Journet

Bob Zeller

Brian Alworth

Other (Please Write in)

If You are not a member, please join us….