U.P. Voices of Support

  • "The expansion and protection of Wilderness lands is of great importance to our business and the economy of the local area. The UP specifically relies on tourism for much of its economy, and people come from all over the country to experience our "Pure Michigan". As more places around the world are developed, there will be less pristine wilderness which makes what is saved more and more valuable. Keeping our wild places wild provides a unique, long-term draw to the UP for years to come."

    Nathan Ackerman
    Co-Founder
    Chicken Tramper Ultra Light Gear

  • “This designation will not only help preserve these wilderness areas in perpetuity but also prevents future development while continuing to provide the same recreational opportunities that can be enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts today. Michigan and the nation need undisturbed wilderness areas to preserve our outdoor heritage and identity for generations to come. Once a wilderness area is lost, it can never be reclaimed.”

    Captain Travis White
    Owner
    Keweenaw Charter Fishing Co.

  • “As a student in the heart of the Keweenaw, I fully support expanding wilderness in the Upper Peninsula. The best part of living in the U.P. is the easy access to the outdoors. I chose study at Michigan Tech because it was one of the only schools that allowed me to be in a location where I could connect with nature easily. I would love to see more land protected here so that others in the future can find peace in the outdoors the way I do now.”

    Emily Bergman
    Student
    Michigan Technological Unversity

  • “We need to protect our lands. Further commercialization of the U.P. would not bring economic success to this area but would instead damper one of the major industries here: outdoor recreation. By allowing these places to remain uninterrupted by unsustainable and often dangerous industries, we can maintain the U.P. as a place where people can come to hike, snowshoe, and enjoy the environment.”

    Grace Murray
    Student
    Michigan Technological Univesity

  • One of the things that attracted me to the U.P. and the state of Michigan was all of the natural beauty that had been preserved. Expanding protected lands will allow more exploration in the form of outdoor recreation while also fostering growth of wildlife, which I am all for. We need to be taking steps to protect our wildlife in this time of crisis.”

    Lucas Sheppard
    PhD Student
    Michigan Technological University

  • “Designating these areas as federal Wilderness reinforces the values we hold in the Upper Peninsula... That our land and waters are pristine and valued as such. It is essential to both the culture and the environment in the U.P. that we retain and protect as much of our pristine natural landscape as possible for future generations. These future generations deserve to know and understand the beauty and power held in the U.P.'s landscapes.”

    Jane Fitkin
    Director of Outreach & Communications
    Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior

  • “People become connected to the land in the Upper Peninsula: communities, businesses, co-ops, families, couples, all sprout out of their love of the wilderness. The dense rolling forests, the citadels of black cragged rock, the hidden waterfalls tucked away in her hinterlands; the Upper Peninsula is inspiring because of her wild beauty, not because of the resources that compose that beauty. We should protect what we can.”

    Gabriel Ahrendt
    Co-Founder
    Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action

  • "I am supporting the expansion of wilderness because it benefits the ecosystem and the communities that would like to use these places for sustainable recreation.”

    Ila Swier
    Student
    Michigan Technological University

  • “For many years we've been providing Michiganders with some of the best roasted coffee you can find in the Midwest! Our focus is on providing a high quality product people will appreciate, but that great cup of coffee needs good, clean water as a key part of the equation. In fact, our business model has us donate 3% of our retail sales each year to clean water initiatives - primarily around Lake Superior and the Great Lakes watershed region. To that end, we're firm supporters of this very worthy proposition; especially for the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness area, which will keep one more part of the Lake Superior watershed clean and healthy for generations to come!”

    Ron Kurnik
    President
    Superior Coffee Roasting Co. Inc.

  • To quote Joni Mitchell: “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.”

    Karl Johnson
    Houghton County Democrats
    Calumet, MI

  • “Birds are under threat from loss of forests and habitat. Protect our birds!”

    Dana Richter
    Board Member
    Copper County Audubon

  • "The responsibility of protecting the natural beauty and diverse ecosystems of the Upper Peninsula rests upon us. Wilderness areas provide habitats for a multitude of living beings. By prioritizing the creation of wilderness areas, we can leave a tangible legacy that benefits generations of all creatures."

    Haley Goodreau
    Creative Director
    Logbook Stories