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Show THE ZEPHYR/OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2005 The first of these plans, such as the “Sky Islands Wildlands Network Plan” for Arizona, have enjoyed extensive implementation and have been adopted as part of official government plans by various jurisdictions. Itis no wonder why. These plans describe how we can keep from wrecking our life support system, yet are not ruinous in what the demand of us by way of limits on our land use practices. And they are fair. All proposed land uses are viewed through the same ecological lens: what is the effect of the activity on ecological integrity? Turning to the waffle stompers v. exhaust suckers argument, as a conservation biologist I don’t give a rat’s ass whether cryptobiotic soil damage, turtle MOAB CHEVRON FOOD COURT squashing, and vegetation trampling is done by 500 Sierra Club hikers, a mob of ATVs, or a herd of cows. If it’s critical habitat, none of them should be trampling it. If it’s a 7am to 7pm We do breakfast, lunch & dinner connectivity corridor, my concern is whether the hikers, ATVs, and/or cows interfere with the movement of wildlife through the corridor. If they don’t, fine. If they do, they need to Indoor & Outdoor Seating be kept out when they will interfere with the wildlife. Making restoration and preservation of ecological integrity your core value in land management transforms the wilderness debate. The best available tool for preserving a core FAMOUS CHICKEN TENDERS! Plus Our Specialty Sandwiches (vegetarian options) Cool & Refreshing Salads TO GO (from scratch...rotating varieties) ..-A bunch of conservation biologists including me have been developing a different paradigm for natural conservation for some years now. | think it is the next step in the evolution of environmentalism. habitat is wilderness designation. The need to preserve a core habitat becomes the rationale for wilderness preservation, not the area’s attractiveness to human recreationists. If the area is critical to ecological integrity b f its habitat or tivity value, it doesn’t matter if it is butt ugly and full of bugs and nobody ever wants to go there. In fact, it helps if nobody ever wants to go there because it leaves the critters in peace. We aren’t designating wilderness to satisfy the desire of waffle stompers for outdoor recreational theme parks. We're designating wilderness for our fellow critters because it is the morally right thing to do, and because we also know that it is in our enlightened self interest to maintain intact ecosystems for the sake of our own future survival and welfare. It isn’t a matter of “worshiping nature,” although if you want to do that it’s a free country. From the viewpoints of various Christian spokesmen, it is an expression of respect for God’s creation, and an exercise of the stewardship responsibility for creation God assigned to us. The Committee of Scientists advised Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center of the Land Management, to make restoring and principle of public lands planning. The Management Act in 2000 under Clinton, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Forest "Touchless" with dryer OR 817 S. MAIN STREET in MOAB 5AM-1IPM MIDNIGHT on WEEKENDS and am currently working with the “Core Design Team” of the “Colorado Plateau’ The Colorado Plateau is the last eco-region in the Rocky Mountain Cordillera from Alaska through Mexico which has ecological systems plan done for it. A “Restoring the Spine of the Continent” been organized by the various eco-regional planning groups. We plan ecoregional plans together into a Continent-scale ecological restoration and plan and get it implemented on that scale. not had an coalition has to link our conservation "Express" (Express is ONE DOLLAR with fuel, for locals or mentioning The Zephyr ad) NOW...MORE THAN EVER U.S. Geological Survey advised the Bureau of preserving “ecological integrity” the central USFS amended this advice into the Forest but the rules were suspended by the Bush iministrati ds after coming into office. This illustrates how managing public lands to restore and maintain ecological integrity is not a fringe concept, but has become the central concept for how to do public lands planning and management among forest and range scientists. Ecological Systems /Heritage Plan” project. GAS--- 4 CENTS/GAL DISCOUNT with CASH or CHEVRON CARD TWO CAR WASH OPTIONS SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS!!! These are the People who keep one of the West's last TRUE independent publications alive. LET THEM KNOW! LITTLE WEASEL ADS, INC. PRESENTS A major impediment to implementation of these ecosystem plans is the idea that doing so will hurt human economic welfare. In fact, we know that we can improve human economic welfare while restoring ecological integrity, but it will require applying existing ‘Best Available Technology and Best Available Management Practice to how we generate and use energy, graze domestic livestock, manage watersheds and water efficiency, harvest trees, and grow our food. I am a principal in developing a series of implementation white papers describing these existing, proven technologies and management techniques which are not yet widely known or adopted. Yes, this is a paradigm shift. We need to make it to obtain a secure, healthy, and comfortable future for us and “all our relatives.” afin Lance Christie, the Colorado Plateau Ecological Systems Plan, et al, can be contacted through the Association for the Tree of Life, P.O. Box 1366, Moab, Utah 84532 <ATL@frontiernet.net> (435) 259-5095. THE LAZY LIZARD | INTERNATIONAL HOSTEL One Mile South of Moab on US 191 435.259.6057 reservations@lazylizardhostel.com www.lazylizardhostel.com Oi aL: nantes DESERT RAT COMMANDOS WOULD BE INTOLERABLE. |