well as a very opinionated, vocal Liberal (like me) at a Trump political rally. In other words, not so much.
I'll explain the differences:
Hikers seek unscarred landscape. ATV'ers scar the landscape.
Hikers seek quiet and serenity. ATV'ers make an inordinate amount of noise. Blap! Blap. Blap!
Hikers enjoy clean air. ATV'ers belch a lot of nasty stuff.
The list goes on...
So why does Utah State Parks mucky-mucks think its appropriate for Coral Pink Sand Dunes State to allow ATVs on 90% of this so called protected area? Thus leaving a mere 265 acres of non--crushable habitat to the Coral Dunes Tiger Beetle. That scarab doesn't stand a chance. I saw motorized tracks on the beetles turf too. I found another telltale sign of Varoom Varoom encroachment there as well. (See the last photo. I picked it up).
In Utah, there's an undercurrent of jabber from the state legislature to take back Federal Land. (Utah is 65% Federally Owned). If this is the state's idea of stewardship. I say "No Way!" The Fed's might not be perfect, but I believe their land management policies are more sustainable.
The irony to Coral Dunes is that there are literally hundreds of miles of ATV trails adjacent to the park on BLM property. How do I know this? It says so in the park guide.
I'll take Great Sand Dunes National Park any old day. They are big, beautiful and best of all-NO ATV's!
Cheers!
Jeff Sambur Champion of Silent Sports (that's the name of a magazine from the Midwest.)
Grrrrr. I read the High Country News article re the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover and occupation by these federal take-back crazies. They have no idea what the Constitution really says, nor would they take care of the public lands if they did manage to get them returned to the states.
ReplyDelete