Wilderness Commentary

This time of the year, as we spend time with family and friends, consider what we are thankful for, and, of course, exchange presents, I have been thinking about an important gift I would like to see given to my children - and theirs.That's the gift of our irreplaceable wild land.South Dakotans are fortunate to be able to enjoy expanses of the nation's grasslands. While much has been lost to expanding development that has sprung up to accommodate a growing population, there are still bits of grasslands largely untouched by civilization.

As we take some time to reflect on what we are thankful for this holiday season, all of us can take heart in the far-reaching gift of wilderness that the 109th Congress has given to all Americans, for all time.Despite two years marked with so much stalemate and partisan bickering, members of this Congress compiled a record in preserving wilderness of which they can be proud -- the gift of permanent protection of more than 1 million acres of amazing wild places in California, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Nevada, Puerto Rico, Utah and Vermont.

This holiday season, many would argue there's been more naughty than nice this year in Washington - particularly when it comes to protecting our nation's environment. But before uttering a collective "Bah, humbug," those of us who care about conservation might want to take another look under the tree. For we're apt to find a few unexpected gifts, delivered by some new and unlikely friends, whose support for sound stewardship was key to this year's accomplishments.

As pastor of a congregation in Tempe, I am naturally interested in the spiritual lives of our church members. I sometimes ask, "When have you felt closest to God?" They don't say: "During your sermons." For many, the most intense experience of the holy has been on a mountaintop, or by a stream, or next to the ocean.

In his column two weeks ago, Tom Mobley asserted protecting wilderness on any of the federal land ­ the public land we all own ­ in Doña Ana County will "insidiously eliminate ranching." Whoa, there! Do any of us who worked out the citizen proposal to protect our local wilderness areas really want to drive our rancher neighbors out of business? Of course not!

Opposite this column today you will find one written by Sen. Larry Craig explaining his position on two Idaho-based wilderness and economic development bills, including my Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act (CIEDRA). I would like to take this opportunity to explain the process used to develop CIEDRA and why I believe it deserves Sen. Craig's support.

The Bulletin recently ran an article discussing the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness proposal and how it relates to mountain bikes. The article did a thorough job of discussing the positive relationship formed between wilderness advocates and bike groups; however, it could have used a little more explanation as to why so many Oregonians feel wilderness preservation is vital to the future of these lands.

There are now 300 million of us, each striving for a share in the American dream. For me, a central part of that dream is the idea of wilderness – the idea that we can still have, in this increasingly crowded, noisy world, large samples of America's original wilderness landscapes. Wild bastions of quiet, solitude and nature such as the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness just east of Sandpoint.

I learned to hunt with my father, absorbing his patient instruction in the skills and the art of the hunt. That was quite a few years ago; now my best hunting companion is my grandson, Alden.

Most people agree that wilderness designation is necessary if Vermont's rich natural heritage is to endure, especially in the face of increasing development and global warming. But wilderness is also necessary for the well-being of Vermont's culture and economy.