Unbelievable. That is the first word that comes to my mind when I think of how fortunate we are to live in a state blessed by so many natural wonders. Utah is home to Zion, Bryce and Arches national parks, red-rock worlds, towering mountains and incredible world-famous rivers. People from across the United States and the world dream about traveling to Utah to visit these amazing places. We are the few, the lucky who call Utah home.

Some of Utah's lands have been recognized for their outstanding qualities and protected as national parks. Unfortunately, the same is not true of Utah's rivers. We are one of only 12 states in the country without a single river designated for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System. Even states like Alabama and Ohio have Wild and Scenic Rivers. I have a hard time imagining that any river in Ohio could ever match up to any river that we have here in Utah.

Luckily, we have a truly unique opportunity to change that and protect the entire Green River in Utah as a Wild and Scenic River. At over 420 miles, the Green River would be the longest Wild and Scenic River anywhere in the United States. We have an opportunity to add the amazing Green River to the list of Utah's spectacular natural wonders and to ensure that it will remain as it is today into the future. The Green River is the premier river in Utah, traveling more than 400 miles in Utah through many of the state's treasures, including national parks, state parks, wildlife refuges and millions of acres of wilderness areas. This iconic river played an important role in history, with the explorations of John Wesley Powell and the Fremont people before him.

We have a responsibility to our children to protect the outstanding values of this amazing river. It is up to us to ensure that when our children visit the Green, they can have the same experience that we have there today. Let's make sure our children can know the joy of landing a 16-inch trout in Red Canyon, escape into the depths and remoteness of Desolation Canyon or float the calm, peaceful waters of Labyrinth and Stillwater canyons. The only way to be certain of accomplishing this is to designate the entire Green River in Utah as a Wild and Scenic River.

Fortunately, there are a number of efforts under way considering various segments of the Green for potential inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System. The Forest Service is considering the northernmost section of the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam, and three different Bureau of Land Management field offices are considering the Green River from Dinosaur National Monument down to Canyonlands National Park. These are incredible opportunities to make sure the Green River receives the protection it deserves.

As a father and resident of Utah, I fully support the entire Green River becoming a Wild and Scenic River, and I encourage you to do so, too. Your children will thank you for doing so when they go fishing or boating on the Green with their children. Please encourage the governor, your elected officials, the Forest Service and the BLM to protect this special river.

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Mark Danenhauer is the river solutions coordinator for the Utah Rivers Council.