Letter to the editor

Congratulations to you, the staff, and the HCN board for your in-depth reporting on environmental and natural resource issues in the West. Ideally, we would also prefer emphasis on collaborative efforts to manage land, water, and wildlife. Unfortunately, at the behest of its right-wing constituents, the Bush administration is dismembering environmental protection and cloaking these […]

As the president of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, I have many responsibilities to attempt to prevent the types of water wars that ultimately tear communities apart. The fact is that in a small community like our San Luis Valley, nothing is possible if we are unable to present a united front in the […]

HCN is on the right track. Collaboration works with people who understand the concept. The Bush administration does not collaborate, but stubbornly follows its own agenda to its sole benefit. The mainstream papers have fallen down on the job and don’t call Bush on it. Now is the time to expose the policies of the […]

As a newspaper publisher in the Western U.S. for 20 years, I make it a point not to cancel subscriptions out of anger. But, while I may yet be enlightened to a different perspective, I’ve found HCN, to which I subscribed in February, to be much more about ideology than news. Because it was too […]

In a recent letter, Neil Snyder wrote that “today’s party is not your daddy’s Democratic party, and you’ll have a hard time attracting conservatives to support it” (HCN, 5/24/04: This isn’t your daddy’s Democratic party). His arguments were disingenuous on at least two counts. He alluded to the fact that two Democrats got us involved […]

The May 10th edition contained yet another article praising an effort to protect wilderness. HCN presents these efforts as being promoted by grassroots groups, and as a result, of this reporting, the typical HCN reader is likely to conclude that there is a true grassroots movement for wilderness in the West. Unfortunately, this is not […]

I have worked for a rural California land trust for five years, and wanted to respond to Mr. Gerber’s comments in his letter to the editor, “Caveats on easements” (HCN, 4/26/04: Caveats on easements). I wholeheartedly agree with his suggestion that landowners think long and hard before placing conservation easements on their property. Conservation easements […]

Jon Christensen’s article, “Who Will Take Over the Ranch?” is very timely, and covered a lot of ground (HCN, 3/29/04: Who Will Take Over the Ranch?). I own a small ranch in a sensitive area in northeast Washington, and have spent the last three years discussing conservation easements with a land trust located in another […]

Lydia Millet describes landscape photographs as seen in calendars and posters as pornography because “they offer comfort to the viewer” and “serve as surrogates for real engagement with wilderness” (HCN, 4/12/04: Die, baby harp seal!). Many of the individuals I know who have experience traveling in wilderness realize that landscape photographs can be both simulations […]

Thank heaven for Lydia Millet (HCN, 4/12/04: Die, baby harp seal!). Her challenge to us all — especially to proponents of sentimental, cutesy environmental promotion — is to find “the guts to assault us with the ugly impacts of our own appetites,” rather than the romanticism of the animal and scenic porn of environmental calendars […]

In response to Dave Skinner’s essay, I must confess to being what he calls a “greenie” (HCN, 5/10/04: Motorized recreation belongs in the backcountry). But I implore you, Dave, don’t give up all that quickly. You might have allies you have not counted on. First, however, allow me to establish that in western Nevada where […]

So, Dave! What happens when the real world doesn’t fit in to your neat, simple categories (HCN, 5/10/04: Motorized recreation belongs in the backcountry)? Say, for example, when an avid hiker (and former NRA member) also avidly defends her family’s right to have fun on their ORVs — or advocates responsible, sustainable logging, grazing and […]

How refreshing to see a thoughtful, well-researched article about ranching in HCN, as opposed to the usual ritual bashing of cows and trashing of ranchers (HCN, 3/29/04: Who will take over the ranch?). Though HCN Executive Director Paul Larmer suggests that the paramount question is not, “How do we save ranching?” but rather, “How do […]

Your recent article on “Imagining a Democratic West” was a refreshing attempt to really examine the political realities of the West, rather than just engaging in the usual Republican-bashing (HCN, 4/12/04: The One-Party West). As one of the many conservative Westerners who really does care about our environment, I’d like to see some changes that […]

I recently read Jon Christensen’s piece about the loss of ranch land in the West to development (HCN, 3/29/04: Who will take over the ranch?). Obviously, the public, primarily through its federal government, which has the most money to spend, has an interest in preserving these lands. This piece made me think about the Iraq […]

Jon Christensen does a great job in portraying one of the biggest issues facing the conservation community in the West: the constantly increasing pressure to develop and subdivide (HCN, 3/29/04: Who will take over the ranch?). However, he fails to address an important question raised about land trusts: What will be the character of the […]

Daniel Kraker’s assertion in “The New Water Czars” that Indian tribes lease their water for more than $1,000 an acre-foot is inaccurate (HCN, 3/15/04: The New Water Czars). Yes, Del Webb Corporation leased 10,000 acre-feet of water from the Ak-Chin for $12 million — but it was a one-time, up-front payment for 100 years’ worth […]

I strongly disagree with Jon Margolis’ apology for George Bush (HCN, 3/29/04: Bush is a man of his word: He’s audacious, but should that be surprising?). There used to be qualities such as decency, broad-mindedness and vision in our leaders. Having won the presidency with less votes than his opponent, only because of the quirky […]

Why is it that the environment is almost a taboo subject in American political campaigns? Voters need to know the candidate’s stand on environmental issues! You can bet we will learn a candidate’s stand on same-sex marriage, but not their stand or views on the amount of toxic pollution power plants emit into our air. […]

Your recent article, “Who Will Take Over The Ranch,” turned out to be a big disappointment (HCN, 3/29/04: Who will take over the ranch?). The term “conservation easement” borders on being an oxymoron. In the entire article I failed to find anything that actually indicated such an easement had anything to do with conservation. Livestock […]