Defenders' Experts
Public Lands Docket
In addition to species-specific litigation, Defenders aggressively advocates for the protection of the nation’s wildlife refuges, parks, forests and other public lands.
Over the last several years, the courts have served as a critical venue for challenging Bush Administration rollbacks of key protections on national forest lands, which include 192 million acres managed in 155 national forests. Defenders has played a leading role in challenging these Administration policies.
Bison and Elk Refuge Management Plan
Challenge to the Bison and Elk Management Plan for the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park.
Smoky Canyon
Challenge to the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management decision to authorize the expansion of the Smoky Canyon phosphate mine in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Southeastern Idaho that could potentially contaminate the habitat of hundreds of wildlife species.
Sierra Nevada MIS
Challenge to the USDA Forest Service's adoption of an amendment to the forest plans for ten National Forests in California's Sierra Nevada reducing requirements for monitoring management indicator species (MIS) affected by activities on those forests.
Southern California Forest Plans Challenge
Litigation against the U.S.D.A. Forest Service challenging its April 2006 adoption of the revised Forest Plans for the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino Forests in Southern California.
Foothill South Toll Road
Challenge to the Fish and Wildlife Service and NMFS findings that the existence of 10 endangered species will not be jeopardized or adversely affected by the construction of a proposed Foothill-South toll-road in southern Orange and northern San Diego counties of California.
National Forest Management Plan: Bush Administration Revisions
Challenge to Bush Administration's forest management regulations which roll back protections for wildlife and their habitat in America's National Forest System.
Southern California Forest BiOp Challenge
Litigation against the USDA Forest Service over its failure to complete consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding the revised Forest Plans for the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests, and to challenge the Forest Service's ongoing illegal take of threatened and endangered species in these forests.
ORV Management in Big Cypress National Preserve
Challenge to the National Park Service's decision to re-open off-road vehicle (ORV) trails in the Bear Island Unit of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Border Fence Construction: San Pedro Riparian NCA
Motion for Temporary Restraining Order, successfully granted to halt border fence construction in San Pedro Riparian NCA. Subsequent challenge of constitutionality of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff's waiver of the Temporary Restraining Order to resume construction.
Chino Hills
Litigation regarding the decision of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to approve the construction of a road across a rare area of open space, Chino Hills State Park in Orange County, California.
Wyoming Roadless Rule Intervention
The state of Wyoming, logging and other industry groups revived their challenge to the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule after the Court in California v. U.S. Department of Agriculture invalidated the Bush administration's repeal of that rule.
Roadless Rule Repeal
Challenge to Bush administration's repeal of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule which protects National Forest roadless areas from logging and fragmentation.
Superior Forest Plan
Challenge to the revised forest plan for the Superior National Forest, which encompasses 3 million acres of pine, fir, spruce, and endless lakes and streams in northeastern Minnesota.
Little Pend Oreille
Intervention in defense of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a suit challenging its decision to terminate annual grazing on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Washington State.
Los Padres National Forest Oil and Gas Drilling
Litigation against the U.S. Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the amendment of the Los Padres National Forest Plan to allow greatly expanded oil and gas leasing on the forest.
US Border Patrol FOIA
Litigation to compel the Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security to release documents responsive to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Montanans for Multiple Use
Intervention in a suit brought by a coalition of wise use and property rights groups challenging management of the Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana.
National Petroleum Reserve - AK
Challenge to the Department of Interior's proposal to lease an area of the national Petroleum Reserve - Alaska.
