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Show MaDunnnitanim J by Nan Chalat The Great Outdoors is shrinking There is no denying it summer is flying by. The colts in the pasture are growing by leaps and bounds and the dandelions have turned into wisps of dust. The ranchers are already busy harvesting the first cut of alfalfa and the days are noticeably shorter. un the diversion canal nine ducklings paddle furiously to keep up with their mother's effortless glide while up on the bank a cagey fox watches them with hungry eyes. The currant bushes are laden with ripening berries that are being jealously guarded by a flock of noisy magpies. Across the wooden bridge a herd of cows is lazily munching on the weeds and watching their reflections in the water. There is suddenly a feeling that we have to hurry up and enjoy this season before it is gone. And evidently that feeling is shared by many. The traffic through the valley is almost unbelievable, with every manner of vehicle from huge campers to pack horses heading into the mountains for the weekend, and to each of them is strapped a variety of playthings. Most of the campers are towing at least one boat or trailer full of ATCs and every other car sports a roof rack full of bicycles or windsurfers. Last weekend I couldn't help wondering, though, where all of these people were headed and whether there would be room along the lakes and up in the mountains to accommodate all of them. Every year it seems the recreation areas become more crowded and the land takes more of a beating. In the past, Utahns have been blessed with the luxury of vast stretches of undeveloped land, but in the last two years that land has been shrinking while the population using it has grown. The reservoirs and the mountains have begun to feel the pressure and so have many visitors who are forced to hike deeper and deeper into the wilderness to experience any sense of solitude. The trend will continue. Instead of throwing the land . to the wolves perhaps it is time to re-examine our wilderness ethics. Utah's unlimited frontier now is crowded with dirt bikes, ATCs, mobile homes, backpackers, fishermen, etc. It is time to begin restricting ourselves, to leave the motorized toys at : home, to leave a clean campsite and to voluntarily limit our camping to less fragile territory. |