From KTVZ.COM news sources

Three Bend-area business leaders called Wednesday for passage of a bill to protect the Oregon Badlands as wilderness and unveiled a new print ad listing more than 100 Central Oregon businesses which support permanent protection of this wild area.

"As local business owners, we feel very strongly that designation of the nearby Oregon Badlands just makes good business and economic sense, and we are urging our representatives in Congress to make this a reality this year," said Kirk Schueler, president of Brooks Resources Corporation, a real estate and development company in Bend.

Citing the 2007 study by the independent group Headwaters Economics, Schueler said, "Designating additional wilderness in Central Oregon would not only bolster our economy, but it would also help bring new businesses and top quality employees to the area."

Echoing this view, Rod Bien, owner of Pandora's Backpack said, "My company depends on
customers who purchase apparel for outdoor activities, but protected wilderness also attracts
tourists, who stay in our motels, shop, and spend their dollars in our restaurants."

Senator Ron Wyden has introduced a bill, The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008 (S. 3088), which would permanently protect more than 29,000 acres of the area as wilderness - the highest level of protection public land can have.

Tyler Reichert, owner and founder of Silver Moon Brewing in Bend, noted that the 100-plus names on the new ad "represent very different types of businesses," adding "but we are united in our belief that it's our nearby wild lands that help keep us all in business."

Among the businesses listed on the ad are Deschutes Brewery, FootZone of Bend, Mt. Bachelor,
Ruff Wear, Sun Country Tours, and Bend Research.

"As a company that strives to attract new visitors and residents to the area, we see a definite economic value in protecting wild places like the Badlands," said Alan Van Vliet, Vice President of Development and Construction for Jed-Wen Communities, which is among the businesses on the ad.

"But in addition to this benefit, the presence of protected natural areas can help our business attract and retain employees and set ourselves apart from our competition."

The ad will appear in Thursday's edition of the Bend Bulletin.

"We recognize that the 110th Congress will have a lot to deal with when it returns in September - from appropriations bills to the energy crisis," added Tyler Reichert. "But on wilderness protection, we believe they can find common ground. We hope Senator Smith will join Senator Wyden and work to make passage of the Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act a reality this year."