I have noted with interest the letters to the editor and the debate surrounding the Hidden Gems Wilderness proposal.
I would like to add a unique perspective to the discussion. I have been flying over the West for more than 20 years doing aerial conservation work and watching the profound changes on our landscape, including the dulling of Utah's azure blue skies by power plants' emissions; the industrialization of landscapes by oil and gas drilling; the clear-cutting of our forests; and ORV (off road vehicle) tracks in the middle of fragile deserts and mountain wild lands.

