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Clark Collins: Wilderness too restrictive
Clark Collins
["Once again Idaho´s wilderness advocates are pushing for wilderness designation of more of our public land. And once again they are attempting to mislead the public into believing that wilderness designation is necessary to “preserve this area for future generations.”
The Boulder-White Clouds is the hot issue in this debate, despite the fact it is already congressionally designated as the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA). The area has been shared, and protected, by diverse recreational interests since receiving that designation.
It is in central Idaho, near the Frank Church and Sawtooth Wilderness areas, so there is no shortage of wilderness in the area. The only justification for wilderness designation is this: it´s what wilderness advocates want.
Unfortunately, the SNRA enabling legislation requires that wilderness recommendations for the area be made to Congress. Congressman Mike Simpson has chosen to act on those recommendations. The BlueRibbon Coalition is working with Simpson to ensure that the current recreation access is preserved in that area.
In past wilderness deliberations, Idaho recreationists have done their best to prevent designation of the areas we use. We´ve lost access with each new wilderness designation and have never been offered anything in return. The congressman has stated that our recreation access will be protected in the Boulder-White Clouds and that he will back us to get a more user friendly “backcountry” designation for some other lands in central Idaho.
Idaho recreationists should not be expected to sacrifice their access on the alter of wilderness designation. The boundaries for any wilderness proposal for the Boulder-White Clouds must be drawn so that trails used by recreation interests who aren´t allowed in wilderness are outside of the designated area. Any legislation proposing additional wilderness designation in Idaho should include backcountry designation for some other areas as part of the package. It´s time for consideration of a new designation that preserves the backcountry character so important to a broad range of recreational interests. What is backcountry designation?
• Backcountry´s first priority is to actually protect the environment and protect the character of the land.
• Backcountry would allow reducing excessive fuel loads from overstocked stands or bug killed trees that often lead to catastrophic wildfires that devastate the environment and take decades for recovery. These catastrophic wildfires wipe out all wildlife and fish, and devastate watersheds for at least a decade.
• Backcountry would allow the most efficient methods of trail maintenance, which protects the environment, while protecting and preserving important access routes.
• Backcountry will be inclusive, rather than exclusive and encourage tolerance and diversity. Backcountry would allow responsible use of mountain bikes, trail bikes, SUVs, snowmobiles and other mechanized and motorized means that many Americans enjoy.
• Backcountry will encourage all citizens to appreciate and enjoy their public lands and build support for proper management and funding for land managing agencies.
• Backcountry designation will hopefully end the practice of wilderness advocates coming back every decade or so and asking for more wilderness designations in areas already negotiated in earlier wilderness campaigns.
Idaho recreationists have done a good job of caring for, and sharing, the Boulder-White Clouds. The very qualities that wilderness advocates say make it worthy of congressional designation are testimony to that fact. Any proposal for wilderness designation here must treat recreationists fairly. The proposal must preserve our natural resources for the public instead of from the public. "]
Edition Date: 01-27-2003
Clark Collins
["Once again Idaho´s wilderness advocates are pushing for wilderness designation of more of our public land. And once again they are attempting to mislead the public into believing that wilderness designation is necessary to “preserve this area for future generations.”
The Boulder-White Clouds is the hot issue in this debate, despite the fact it is already congressionally designated as the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA). The area has been shared, and protected, by diverse recreational interests since receiving that designation.
It is in central Idaho, near the Frank Church and Sawtooth Wilderness areas, so there is no shortage of wilderness in the area. The only justification for wilderness designation is this: it´s what wilderness advocates want.
Unfortunately, the SNRA enabling legislation requires that wilderness recommendations for the area be made to Congress. Congressman Mike Simpson has chosen to act on those recommendations. The BlueRibbon Coalition is working with Simpson to ensure that the current recreation access is preserved in that area.
In past wilderness deliberations, Idaho recreationists have done their best to prevent designation of the areas we use. We´ve lost access with each new wilderness designation and have never been offered anything in return. The congressman has stated that our recreation access will be protected in the Boulder-White Clouds and that he will back us to get a more user friendly “backcountry” designation for some other lands in central Idaho.
Idaho recreationists should not be expected to sacrifice their access on the alter of wilderness designation. The boundaries for any wilderness proposal for the Boulder-White Clouds must be drawn so that trails used by recreation interests who aren´t allowed in wilderness are outside of the designated area. Any legislation proposing additional wilderness designation in Idaho should include backcountry designation for some other areas as part of the package. It´s time for consideration of a new designation that preserves the backcountry character so important to a broad range of recreational interests. What is backcountry designation?
• Backcountry´s first priority is to actually protect the environment and protect the character of the land.
• Backcountry would allow reducing excessive fuel loads from overstocked stands or bug killed trees that often lead to catastrophic wildfires that devastate the environment and take decades for recovery. These catastrophic wildfires wipe out all wildlife and fish, and devastate watersheds for at least a decade.
• Backcountry would allow the most efficient methods of trail maintenance, which protects the environment, while protecting and preserving important access routes.
• Backcountry will be inclusive, rather than exclusive and encourage tolerance and diversity. Backcountry would allow responsible use of mountain bikes, trail bikes, SUVs, snowmobiles and other mechanized and motorized means that many Americans enjoy.
• Backcountry will encourage all citizens to appreciate and enjoy their public lands and build support for proper management and funding for land managing agencies.
• Backcountry designation will hopefully end the practice of wilderness advocates coming back every decade or so and asking for more wilderness designations in areas already negotiated in earlier wilderness campaigns.
Idaho recreationists have done a good job of caring for, and sharing, the Boulder-White Clouds. The very qualities that wilderness advocates say make it worthy of congressional designation are testimony to that fact. Any proposal for wilderness designation here must treat recreationists fairly. The proposal must preserve our natural resources for the public instead of from the public. "]
Edition Date: 01-27-2003
