[at-l] Policing the trail...

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C)]

"What is "mindless" and "robotic" (as I also said) is a complete ban just
because someone somewhere might be annoyed that they can hear a chainsaw in the
forest." thinks JessBill.

Humans seem to just naturally like to create special places. We create museums for art and historical artifacts. My town land trust preserves land that it allows to just do whatever comes naturally, on the theory that a few places should be off limits to the intrusive impacts of humans.

Congress in a rare moment of wisdom created wilderness preserves to see what would happen if motors and machines were banned and nature was allowed to do its thing without any undue human influence.

I know of no evidence that the ban was because "someone somewhere might be annoyed." Rather it was because if you make an exception, there will be immediate demands for more exceptions and soon "wilderness" would degrade into just another managed forest. 

It strikes me that a bit of extra work for a few maintainers is a small price to pay for the benefits of preserving a few tiny bits of wilderness.

Maine has experienced the degradation that comes with seemingly innocent compromises. In one of my first environmental battles, Maine 40 years ago created the first state run "wild and scenic river" on the Allagash in Northern Maine.

Compromises began almost immediately. First preservation of a luxury cabin the state discovered that had been built illegally for a paper company to entertain customers, then the use of chain saws, then picnic tables, the the passing out of gate keys to friends and relatives of the staff to ease access ....

A decade ago people began noticing that the Allagash Wild and Scenic River had lost its uniqueness. The senior manager admitted as much when the Legislature was prevailed upon to investigate. "We treat the Allagash just as we treat all the other state parks," he confessed.

Weary