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Show TE® ZEPHYR/ APRIL-MAY SILVER BULLETS Vain Fite Sioa 2006 helped create. We may try to maintain certain forests or grasslands so as to "restore’ them to some former condition that we happen to like. We may try to "promote" forest conditions that are anticipatory of future climatic conditions --onditions we think will someday prevail. | We may try to do all of that and it might be fair to assume that some manipulations will succeed while others will fail. In Wilderness, if we remain true to the original concept, we will do NONE of those things. We will permit the forces of nature to do their own thing. And while we may be perverting the forces of nature on a global scale and our perversions may -indeed be impacting Wilderness we will, if we respect Wilderness, refrain from manipulating at least that one specially designated portion of this planet. There are currently a little over 100 million acres of such Wilderness or about 10 times more than was originally protected in 1964. When we've done our experiments on all of the rest of the planet, those few acres of protected lands may (or may not) serve as a nucleus for re-establishing a viable planet once again. Will those few acres be enough? --- perhaps not. Would we be better protected against such disasters if we had many more protected acres including much greater ewhere ee oops coe SCOTT SILVER IS “WILDERNESS” AN OUTMODED CONCEPT? The concept of Wilderness, as defi ined by the Wilderness Act and as was understood by those who are responsible for there being a Wilderness Preservation system today, is as valid as ever. Wilderness was never about savin 1g trees. It was never about preserving biodiversity and it sure as heck had n othing to do with preventing grazing... though many would prefer that the Wild« erness Act did have much more to do with all of those things. The Act contains alm ost no reference to biological values and none to biodiversity. So, on those topics , the Wilderness Act never had much to offer. Perhaps you view that as the b asis for now saying that the concept of wilderness is outmoded.... but please don't forget to acknowledge that the concept of what Wilderness should be to some is at odds with the purposes for which Wilderness was established. There are many of us who would still defend those original purposes.... even if Abbey said that such defense was unnecessary. There is no denying that the ecosystems on this planet are in flux -- including those found within designated Wilderness. But all ecosystems have, for all of time, been in flux. That is the nature of this planet and would be its natu re even if humans did not themselves contribute to flux. What the Wilderness Act provides, is a clear (albeit imperfect) statement that Man would not go into areas protected by this act and deliberately manipulate the land, or attempt to freeze conditions in some preferred state or bring about some other, currently non-existent, desired state. The Wilderness Act's purpose is t > assure that in a world with increasing population, expanding settlement and g rowing mechanization, some parts would not remain beyond the DELIBERATE reach of manipulative Man --- even though the impact of Man might waft over thos e protected areas. There are a growing number of activists within the conservation community who have come to look upon Wilderness Designation as a tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from kicking cows off public lands, to saving old growth trees, to creating motorized-free recreation zones, to landing a PEW grant. biodiversity? Absolutely. Should we, if required, SACRIFICE or FORFEIT the original purpose for which we have a Wilderness Preservation System if so doing increases the chances that protected Wilderness lands might re-seed the world for a fresh beginning? My short answer is NO --- we should not. There is much confusion within our community about what is the value of Wilderness and why do we even have a Wilderness Preservation System. There is, likewise, confusion as to WHAT is being preserved. There are some (including some within our community) who don't much care for that original Wilderness concept. There are a growing number of activists within the conservation community who have come to look upon Wilderness Designation as a tool that can be used for a variety of purposes ranging from kicking cows off public lands, to saving old-growth trees, to creating motorized-free recreation zones, to landing a PEW grant. Correct me if my understanding of the history of the Wilderness Act is incorrect, but here's how I look at Wilderness. Here's what I believe was in the minds of those who left us this legacy. I say: The founders of the Wilderness Act n ever hoped that all of the biological pieces Wilderness is a place, a path, a portal where those who are prepared can throw would be housed within a Wilderness P1 feservation System. They never attempted to establish such a museum or ecosystem | repository. They set out to ensure that for all times and for all generations to com e, there would exist places on this planet where Man would be humble, where > man could come only:as a visitor to experience a milieu that operated differ« ently than did the rest of the world. It is possible that we may screw up ev rer last inch of this planet. We as a species may now choose to deliberately atte mpt to manipulate the oceans or the atmosphere in an effort to regulate climé atic conditions and fix the problems we've off their encumbrances and reconnect with their humanity. If you believe that I got that even vaguely correct, then perhaps you'll agree that wilderness is really not such an outmoded concept. WHERE WOULD YOU RATHER BUY YOUR COFFEE? FROM A BIG NATIONAL CORPORATION LIKE CITY MARKET laste ne) |= 59 &. Main in sot Plaza 259.5551 SAME GREAT COFFEE PLUS SOME NEW SURPRISES... BREAKFAST ALL DAY... waffles _ paninis e : THE GREAT SATAN OF MOAB? (WHO PLANS TO BRING STARBUCKS HERE...) OR FROM FRIENDLY LOCALLY-OWNED COFFEE SHOPS LIKE OURS? (Between SATAN & UNCLE BEBOP.. the choice is easy) um |