Just before Christmas, a Chilean company submitted its plan for sulfide-ore copper mining at the headwaters of the 1.1 million-acre Wilderness area in northeastern Minnesota. Take action now.

In response to the U.S. Forest Service's proposal to exempt the Tongass from the Roadless Rule—a move that would lift protections and expose a vitally important landscape to logging and resource extraction—we support Alternative #1, No Action.

To celebrate the Solstice, Sarah Histand takes time to be quiet and reflective. She also makes a point to do something active outside. "We try to do something special, whether it's skiing or a friend gathering. It's not very formalized, but it's something the mark the date," Histand says.

"Because the fulfillment of human-powered adventure fills my cup to the brim." At Winter Wildlands Alliance, we are grateful to members like you who help us protect and preserve raw, vast, and quiet winter landscapes for the sake of conservation and human-powered recreation. We hope that a membership to our organization is a way to fuel your passion about snow and winter, and also public lands, conservation, and equitable recreation. Recently, we heard from a few of our members about the reasons they seek experiences in snow-covered landscapes and why they care about conservation. Here's what they have to say.

Most people think of the Winter Solstice as the darkest day of the year. We like to think of it as the first day of winter, when light ushers in a new season. This year, we’re also welcoming a new decade. As we approach the Winter Solstice, consider joining the movement to Keep Winter Wild. This holiday season, consider making a gift to winter. We have two ways you can give: A membership to Winter Wildlands Alliance or a donation made through Patagonia’s Action Works Page.

The U.S. Forest Service has proposed to exempt the Tongass from the Roadless Rule, which would open a vital carbon sink to logging and mining. The deadline for public comment is December 17. The Tongass is the largest national forest in the United States—17 million acres of temperate rainforest that stretches down the panhandle in Southeast Alaska. Home to old growth trees and tons of wildlife, including whales, salmon, bears, and bald eagles, the Tongass also holds tremendous value for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. The U.S. Forest Service estimates the Tongass stores 10 to 12 percent of the total carbon captured by America’s national forests. Right now, the U.S. Forest Service has proposed exempting the entire Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule. Why does this matter? The Roadless Rule is an important tool that protects wild landscapes on U.S. Forest Service lands. The proposal would open the world’s largest remaining temperate rainforest—a critical resource in the fight against climate change—to logging. For reasons of conservation, recreation, and climate action, we can't let this happen.

For the next month, as time approaches the Winter Solstice, we’re making it a point to revel in the moments between seasons. It might be sunny and warm, or dark and cold, or raining or sleeting or hailing or snowing, and busy as can be with the holidays. To stay sane, we’ll be going outside and we hope you'll join us.