To me, the Sierra Club has always been a group of wealthy people who want to keep wilderness areas to themselves. There are many common folk who have joined the organization because they believe in the purported mission. But all the activists seem to be they type who can take off when they want to and be transported by helicopter to some remote area for a weekend with nature.
Most of us don’t have that luxury, and that’s just the way they like it.
I remember a special on television about a remote area in Idaho or Washington which is owned by one of the local tribes. It is beautiful, a forested Eden next to a crystal river. The tribe wants to develop the area. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and his friends at the Sierra Club don’t want to see that happen. Right now, the only access is by helicopter or a hike through the mountains for a day or two. So, most of us will never have the chance to visit this place, but Junior can take his private jet and charter a helicopter to get there any time he wants.
Thomas Sowell writes of a similar issue at Yosemite.
Groups like the Sierra Club and other environmental zealots have for years been trying to reduce the number of people visiting our national parks. They seem to think that our national parks are their own private property, and that it would be best if the unwashed masses are kept out as much as possible, leaving the backpackers to enjoy these parks in seclusion.
I haven’t been there myself since the mid 60s, but think it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I understand, though, that it was overrun not long after I visited by flower children from Frisco wanting to get back to nature. They trashed it. It has since regained its status as a place for all Americans, but the Sierra Club and other environmental groups continue to try to limit visitors by getting laws enacted to restrict vehicular traffic–the only way to get there unless you can canoe up the Merced river.
Teddy Roosevelt’s vision was to have nature retained in its glory for all Americans to enjoy. Maybe the Feds should make helicopters available to us all.
Well, by developing these beautiful, remote places incrementally, we decrease their beauty and value exponentially. We also disrupt wildlife habitat. For those who don’t have the time or money available to visit these parks in their pristine, untouched condition (myself included), well, too bad.
Better get back to work until I can afford my own helicopter, then.
Comment by Bogey — June 15, 2004 @ 3:11 pm
Actually, they have no value if they are never seen or used. Common courtesy (Gosh, does it still exist) dictates taking care of places you visit. The old Boy Scout (un-PC) idea of “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints” is no longer in vogue. Everyone wants a souvenir.
Comment by Bunker — June 15, 2004 @ 3:57 pm
But the /are/ seen and used. By hiker and canoers and people who are willing to make the effort to get in there without the freakin’ car for a change.
Hell, even without a single human being using the land, it still has value. Just not to people. With so many people, as you mentioned, having no respect for nature anymore, the wild animals deserve Yosemite more than us anyway.
Your human-centric attitude awakens the PC thug in me (that, and it’s getting too damn late to type and think at the same time).
Comment by Bogey — June 16, 2004 @ 12:32 am