[at-l] Deeper subjects - the Trail and Sept 11

[ellen@clinic.net (Bob)]

The events of Sept. 11 have had and will have multiple impacts on the
AT. I don't have time at the moment to list them all, but among the
things most on my mind currently:

To the extent that the events deepened the recession it is drying up
private donations for land acquisition for the buffers needed to keep
the trail as wild as possible. Several of us at MATC are beginning
efforts at forming a land trust. Those in the know about such things
caution us that the ready supply of money that has resulted in past land
trust successes is getting scarce.

In parts of the 100-mile "wilderness" the trail is protected only by a
100-foot easement. That is why complaints were heard last summer about
forest harvesting within 25 feet of the trail. If we are successful in
gaining the support for a land trust, widening the corridor in that
section will be among our highest priorities.

More important, it is obvious that the events will make it harder to
persuade opponents of industrial-sized wind power near the trail from
Saddleback, north through the Crockers, to speak up. We have already had
newspaper editorials ridiculing the opposition. They say in effect,
"with the nation at war, hikers are only concerned with their views from
the trail."

Some on this list may not see a connection between American past
policies in the mid-east and the Sept. 11 attacks, but I can assure you
that a lot of people believe there is a connection and, rightly or
wrongly, they grasp at any alternative to reduce this country's reliance
on foreign oil.

Weary