As far as nonprofits go, the Friends of the CSNM is not an overtly political organization and only weighs in when the board of directors feels that it is appropriate and important to the protection, restoration, and conservation of the monument.
Our friends group generally works cooperatively with the BLM and the Department of the Interior and advocates for budgets, staffing, environmental education programs, and anything that advances monument efforts.
For example, the Friends formally supported the expansion and felt that a larger science-based monument would better protect the “objects of biological interest” that were not well understood at the time of the original designation.
Now the Friends stand strongly in support of the monument in light of President Trump’s effort to “review” 27 monuments, including ours, designated under the Antiquities Act.
We ask our members and supporters to stand with us and take action by the July 10 deadline. We will have a booth at the Ashland Fourth of July Celebration and other local events and can help direct you to the many ways to help us with this effort.
Our website also has Take Action link directly to Department of Interior comment form.
Howard Hunter
Advocacy Chair, Friends of Cascade Siskiyou National Monument
Nationally syndicated columnist Dr. Michael W. Fox (Animal Doctor) writes several compelling reasons for his support of the Cascade-National Monument expansion in his June 25, 2017 column:
"Across the North American continent, this and other bioregions rich in biodiversity need CPR (conservation, protection and restoration). Spiritually, these places are sacred. Scientifically, they are unique habitats rich in animal and plant diversity essential to sustain our need for clean air and water and to help correct and stabilize climate change. Economically, they are a biobank for society, not only for tourism, but also for biologics and microbiota of potential medical, agricultural and other industrial use. Ethically, they are monuments of Earth's creation that society must cherish -- if not for nature's sake, then at least out of enlightened self-interest."