Let the Forests Burn
Wildfires are consuming hundreds of thousands of acres of national forests throughout the West. The size of many of these fires could have been lessened by utilizing plain old common sense. Instead, we submit to the politically correct sound bites of the environmentalists. They have prevented logging and recreation in the National forests because someone may make a profit or actually enjoy themselves on our land. These left wing environmental radicals appear to have a new motto: SAVE THE FORESTS FROM LOGGING AND RECREATION, LET THEM BURN! I wonder what they think of the precious air quality now that we are all breathing smoke from preventable forests fires. Common sense dictates that thinning out areas of the forests would slow the fires down by providing less fuel. Building and maintaining roads and trails for people to get deep into the woods for recreational purposes would also serve as a fire breaks and a means for firefighters to get to the fires much quicker than struggling through dense underbrush on foot to fight a ravaging inferno. The National Forest Service needs to work with all of the groups that use the woods for recreation and employment. These are the groups that actually use the forests and have a vested interest in conservation so that they may enjoy the natural beauty for years to come. Just as hunters have an interest in preserving habit for their favorite game, people who use the forests for recreation also want to preserve the land for their enjoyment and that of their children. The goal of the environmentalists is to keep humans out of the forests. The aftermath of this long dry season of wildfires of epic proportions will leave behind the legacy of the environmental radicals. We will see mile after mile of charred remains of once prestige forests. What we will not see is the all of the wildlife that will also perish because environmentalists care so much for the forests. Yes, it appears they would rather see the forests burn than compromise on their use. In this face paced world it seems as though we have replaced rational, sound thinking with well placed sound bytes. It is as if we no longer have time to think for ourselves. Please, let's bring some common sense to the to the discussion of forest management before they all go up in smoke.
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© 2002 Tom Buchanan.
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