High Sierra Topix

During your backpacking careers which political party has served you better as
a backpacker? Which president has done the most to protect the Sierra and its
environment? Give example of what they did. Do any state/county representatives
that you know of stand out when it come to protecting the Sierra? If yes, name
them and their party, and what they did to protect or better the Sierra.

This would not be be a direct answer...mostly because I shy away from political discussions.

However, For awhile I had a re-occurring dream that I was backpacking north of the Brooks Range. Many days out I came across a camp that was sheltered in a small grove of stunted trees and was guarded by several men in suits. Turns out that they are secret service for former President Jimmy Carter.

He, along with Rosalind, are checking out an area that he had designated as wilderness. The wilderness act never really happened but the dream seems real and after fishing (for grayling) and swapping stories with the "Prez" I move on to another camp.

Real or not it was one of the good dreams. It beats the one where I'm standing on top of the pyramid, dressed in a robe and very tiny people are throwing gherkins at me (apologies to Val Kilmer).

Should we ask what religion has helped out in the wilderness?

Hey Mav,

Why not kick it off with an personal example.

I have a few ideas on the topic: Why is Hetch Hetchy still there? Why didn't 168 get built over all the way through; 120 did and a NPS is by definition wilderness, so how is it different? Then there's the Sierra Club. I never liked them, but they have done some good work.

It really doesn't seem to be about a president. It all comes down to money.

I knew a ranger in Moke who would just "show up" wherever i seemed to be going. Ranger Rick (yes no joke). He personally expanded that wilderness in the mid/late 70's. Seems those are more the heroes we should be looking for.

I honestly don't know enough about these things to have a passionate opinion one way or the other, I am just very skeptical, jaded, suspicious when it comes to money and power.

I don't trust red or blue. I see them both as a giant clusterfuck of smoke and mirrors.

I do appreciate that the Sierra has been well protected. I will always do what I can to keep it that way. I honestly don't care who has done what in the past, because right now both parties are completely broken

? Then there's the Sierra Club. I never liked them, but they have done some good work.

It really doesn't seem to be about a president. It all comes down to money.

I personally distrust both sides. I truly feel we are being duped by corporate America. Big money rules all. The parties are nothing but puppets.

Local citizenry working for a common cause has done more than either poltical party. Or should I phrase it as in spite of either politcal party.

Teddy!

Mike

Think globally, act locally. Do what you can that will do the most good for the region you love...and hope/support others to do the same.

Which might be a good secondary topic for these boards. Who is doing good work in your area to preserve the wilderness that you love? I'll suggest one--an NGO (non-governmental agency) that is working to protect the Sierra:

http://www.cserc.org/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

oldranger wrote:Teddy!

Mike

I take it you are referring to the President Teddy. He is an odd choice for a hero to the environmental industry. His autobiography details his philosophy on land management issues. He created the National Forests not to 'protect' them from private timber companies. Exactly the opposite. The timber barons were not developing the federally owned timber lands. They were intentionally making them off limits to create a cartel where the timber companies controlled prices through controlling supply. Teddy created the national forests to hasten their utilization and provide an economic base for rural communities (read the Organic Act), and moved them from Interior to Agriculture to get them out of the political cronyism and corruption of Interior. He created the National Wildlife Refuges to maintain wildlife populations for hunting, not protecting wildlife from hunting. His national monuments were to create a tourism economy for local communities, besides his interest in preserving history.

If Teddy were president today the the environmental industry would be excoriating him for his land management policies.

Dave

Ah the point is not what he intended but the consequences of his actions. Probably would not have been a lot left to protect under the Wilderness Act without National Forests in the first place.

Mike