Dear HCN,
I am alarmed by the
collaborative approach described in the May 13 issue and praised by
Karl Hess Jr. in the May 27 issue.
Though born
and raised in the Rocky Mountain West, I moved East to work and
live here happily, though I return West as often as possible. As a
supporter of the national environmental movement, I believe that
collaborative efforts, especially as envisioned by Westerners like
Mr. Hess, ignore the interests of the vast majority of federal
landowners – Americans living outside the
West.
It would appear that many in the West
believe they have a unique claim to federal land. They don’t. The
land was set aside for the use and enjoyment of all Americans and
should be managed according to laws enacted by the U.S. Congress
and the president, who are elected by the American
majority.
Collaborative efforts have their place
in issues involving private, county and possibly even state land,
and federal resource managers should consult with local interest
groups. But such systems can never replace stewardship of federal
land by resource managers responsible to its owners – all the
American people.
Gail
Stephens
Severna Park,
Maryland
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Alarmed by consensus.
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