- Location
- Sandy, Ut
I think Chad and crew (Chadwick Booth of AYL) did a good job on presenting the historic issue behind Wilderness in Utah. I've researched the matter off and on over the years, a solution pleasing even the majority is going to be extremely rare. With dozens of different interests lobbying their opinions, a compromise of any sorts is bound to have them all up in arms. The BLM themselves found roughly 3 million acres in their 1999 inventory, Utah Wilderness Coalition and their associations have called for closer to 10 million acres of BLM to be set aside as Wilderness. There were quite a few familiar faces featured, one of which I would like to catch up with is Brian Hawthorn of the Blue Ribbon Coalition. Brian is just an all around neat guy and well spoken, I think he brings a level headed approach to the situation based on my past interactions with him. At one point (Wilderness debate some 6-7 years ago now) Brian mentioned that at some point he and Usa-All (where he was then the Executive Director) had identified their own Wilderness acreage and I want to say it was even more than the 1999 BLM survey, maybe in the ~4 million acre range? I honestly can't remember the details but I hope to catch up with him on that topic one of these days. If anyone could shed more light on Usa-All's Wilderness proposal I would love to hear it.
I've spend a considerable amount of time reading through the 1999 BLM survey report & procedure. Its just a hard subject all around left with much interpretation as to what defines a road, vehicle tracks? Moving rocks by hand? What is 'noticeable impact' by mankind? When can that impact be mitigated. I was surprised to see that the much earlier BLM inventory (late 70's) included areas as potential Wilderness based on their ability to be 'repaired' to Wilderness like characteristics. In other words they would consider an area Wilderness worthy if they could send a crew in to basically erase history of man's presence, be it a road, a mine, a homestead? As this was never implemented there was no criteria as to what or how thing would be reclaimed but I just have to scoff at the idea of them erasing history to make Wilderness. Now, the 1999 BLM inventory did not follow this same protocol but its very likely they found more wilderness based on the fact they were willing to discount many roads, routes or as they call them 'ways' that were no longer in use or didn't look to have been constructed or maintained by machine. I can't agree with that finding but I can't say which routes in particular this could have affected without really delving into it some more.
Anyways if you can find a way to watch his County Seat Wilderness Debate program I would highly recommend it. I'm going to try and get a copy of it from them as I really do think it provides some great background for those new to the issue. If nothing else it will help enlighten them a bit to why its such a complex matter.
I've spend a considerable amount of time reading through the 1999 BLM survey report & procedure. Its just a hard subject all around left with much interpretation as to what defines a road, vehicle tracks? Moving rocks by hand? What is 'noticeable impact' by mankind? When can that impact be mitigated. I was surprised to see that the much earlier BLM inventory (late 70's) included areas as potential Wilderness based on their ability to be 'repaired' to Wilderness like characteristics. In other words they would consider an area Wilderness worthy if they could send a crew in to basically erase history of man's presence, be it a road, a mine, a homestead? As this was never implemented there was no criteria as to what or how thing would be reclaimed but I just have to scoff at the idea of them erasing history to make Wilderness. Now, the 1999 BLM inventory did not follow this same protocol but its very likely they found more wilderness based on the fact they were willing to discount many roads, routes or as they call them 'ways' that were no longer in use or didn't look to have been constructed or maintained by machine. I can't agree with that finding but I can't say which routes in particular this could have affected without really delving into it some more.
Anyways if you can find a way to watch his County Seat Wilderness Debate program I would highly recommend it. I'm going to try and get a copy of it from them as I really do think it provides some great background for those new to the issue. If nothing else it will help enlighten them a bit to why its such a complex matter.
