January, 19 2016, 02:00pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Tim Blount, Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, (541) 493-2612 x 4225
Candy Henderson, (678) 314-7239
Kieran Suckling, Center for Biological Diversity, (520) 275-5960
Rally at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to Call for Keeping Public Lands Public
Harney County Rally Will Be Joined by at Least 10 Others in Towns, Cities Across Oregon, Washington, Idaho
BURNS, Ore.
The Friends of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and Center for Biological Diversity are sponsoring a rally on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge today to celebrate the importance of America's visionary public-lands system and highlight political and armed militia efforts to take those lands away from the American people.
The rally will feature Candy Henderson, who though she underwent breast cancer surgery several weeks ago and is still undergoing intensive treatment drove several hundred miles to the Malheur when she learned of the Bundy militia's takeover. She has been camping ever since in a small tent in the rain, snow and freezing temperatures to show her commitment to keep our public lands public for all Americans. She attends the Bundy militia's daily press briefing to speak up for the importance of public land and the extraordinary beauty and wildlife of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
"I'll leave when the militia leaves," Henderson said, "they cannot keep Americans from their public lands with the barrel of a gun."
"The Malheur is a national jewel," said Tim Blount, executive director of the Friends of the Malheur. "It belongs to everyone and must stay part of America's wonderful public lands heritage to be enjoyed by future generations."
| Where: | Malheur National Wildlife Refuge "Narrows Pullout" Bird-watching Parking Area Highway 205, Mile Marker 22 (22 miles south of Burns) Google Map point: https://goo.gl/maps/YF1YJQgX4qx |
| When: | Jan. 19, 2016, 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. |
| Who: | Birdwatchers, wildlife and nature enthusiasts, and supporters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, national wildlife refuge system and America's public lands |
At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive.
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