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Show PAGE THE ZEPHYRNOVEMBER 89 for something, It has no value. It Is the same old story of the person who can't look at a tree without seeing board feet of lumber or gaze at a canyon without ric dam. It Is hard to put a dollar value on beauty. envisioning a But the fact Is, more and more Americans gfi see the value, and are willing to make a sacrifice to see that those wild places are preserved. Whether they get to explore them Is Irrelevant And frankly, It really doesn't matter If the creation of wilderness areas produces economic benefits to nearby communities, because that Is osl why they were created. The law was passed because America realized 25 years ago, that our wild, pristine lands were dwindling at a frightening rate. Something had to be done. U$d Opponents resist any wilderness designation because they dont trust proponents to leave the boundary alone, once Ifs established. What is needed, and may be most difficult to achieve, is a universal land ethic a belief that all land should be respected and even revered, whether its wilderness or not. Multiple use of land does jog have to mean its destruction and demise. But time and again, users of the land fall to demonstrate that respect. Ifs a fact, for Instance, that from 200 miles In space, Ifs possible to distinguish the north boundary of Grand Canyon National Park, because lumber companies have logged the Ponderosa Pine right down to the fence. And I can verify it; I was there recently and I was horrified. Obviously, we need lumber. My house is made of wood. I'm not going to sit here and be a hypocrite. But Is It appropriate to clear cut timber to the edge of a national park? Selective cutting of mature trees Is an acceptable option, and one that baj been exercised In some ares near the North Rim. Why cant some consistency be applied? Ive been Impressed by the efforts of some mineral exploration companies to and drill sites when their work was done. But, where that type of project could be a compatible use of lands adjacent to a park or wilderness area, a nuclear repository Is not. Even cattle grazing, when the herd Is limited to the carrying capacity of the land, could be a compatible use. Chaining the land to Increase the carrying capacity adjacent to a park is totally unacceptable. hydro-elect- What about the fear that motivates both sides to become Inflexible and suspicious? What are the reasons (or lack of reason) that have lead to this stand off? Conservationists find themselves pushing the size of wilderness areas as far as possible, because they fear subsequent development, exploitation and destruction of the adjacent lands right down to the wilderness boundary. Most wilderness advocates frankly believe that anyone who opposes the concept must be insensitive to the land Itself, except as a source of Income. Many believe that any outspoken opponent of wilderness must have a vested Interest in exploiting the land they want to protect I dont think that Is a fair generalization. Just as there Is a small selfish group of types who would Indeed like to "lock up the land as their own private playground, there are those opponents of wilderness who are just as motivated by greed and the Almighty Dollar, people who would squeeze every last penny out of the earth and leave it a pro-wilder- re-cla- ness wasteland. But again, they dont represent a majority. And again, that larger group Is motivated by fear. Some of my friends complain bitterly that environmentalists are never satisfied that they always want more. Once a national park Is established, they complain, someone always wants to propose a buffer zone around the park, restricting multiple use. What next, they ask? Will another buffer zone be created to protect the buffer zone? Once wilderness areas are established by law, will efforts be made to expand the areas to protect the existing boundaries? Ifs an Interesting paradox. Advocates fight for massive wilderness protection .. because they; fear development and destruction' right down to the boundary.; anti-wilder- 13 im re-habll- itate ness At Pizza None of us would tolerate a man who would dump his garbage and sewage In his own yard, when that yard sat next door to a cathedral. It may be his yard, but Ifs still a sacrilege and a disgrace. But If that man honors the sanctity of the cathedral, and disposes of his trash in a way that doesnt offend, the man and the In harmony. cathedral can co-ex-ist Is the most precious cathedral of alL We who live nearby Our pristine-lan, have an obligation to keep the neighborhood clean. - Hul, we put the same care into our carryout thatwe put into everything we serve in our restaurants. Just phone ahead and choose from the great tasting pizzas and otherfine selections on this carryout menu. Ybu'll always get Pizza Hul quality, whether you enjoy it in our restaurants or take it out. 265 So. Main V 259-634- 5 , " FAT TIRE FESTIVAL SPECIAL! ALL-YOU-CA- N EAT SPAGHETTI $2.50 |