Pristine Wilderness

Tonight’s post is a little off on a tangent. But it deals with the false notion of Pristine Wilderness. First of all, educate yourself about who Michael Fatali is, and what he supposedly did in “vandalizing” the Delicate Arch here in Utah.

I posted the following response on a thread over at photo.net/ –

Think of this… The American Government desecrated Glen Canyon when they created Lake Powell. When they damned the Colorado river, in many TRUE aspects, they were “vandalizing” the canyon… Sorry people, I just don’t believe in a pristine wilderness. Michael Fatali made a mistake, but the arch has been there for millions of years, and the elements will continue to erode the arch away, until it collapses. It is a beautiful place that needs protection, but at the same time, there is an illusion in popular culture, that somehow the wilderness is untouched, untamed, and pristine. The fact is, humans have been dwelling in this part of the world for eons.

Again, look at Michael’s mistake. Then look at what the government does with our so-called “public lands.’ Then, think about your own perception of this. How do you define what is wilderness?

I wanted to post this tonight, because there is a real delusion that some Environmentalists have, a sincere belief in Pristine Wilderness. You could consider me an Environmentalist, but unlike a few in the Environmental Movement, I don’t believe in untouched wilderness areas. The Colorado Plateau is entrenched in the history of human habitation. I thought this was a good time to comment on this. If you have any opinions, or questions, feel free to comment…