What is wilderness worth?

Dear Editors,

Is the loss of 300-year-old, old-growth forest, abundant wildlife, pre-puebloan archeological sites, rare species and the land value of local ranchers and landowners worth less than two days of gas supply to the U.S.? The HD decision to allow gas drilling seems to say these riches are worth less.

When we make decisions regarding our remaining wild lands, we must consider two things: There is only a relatively small percent of U.S. land that is protected from development and, more importantly, the choice we make is a permanent one – there is no chance in the future to take it back. With these two perspectives in mind, we need to think deeply about the decision that was made regarding the HD Mountains Roadless Area. This area is distinctive because it is a unique, lowland, old-growth forest. Much of the old-growth forest left in Southwestern Colorado is at elevations that are not as favorable to such a large diversity of wildlife as is found within the HDs’ unique forests. The decision, made by the San Juan National Forest, was a compromise, and although they did a considerably good job to only allow some of the proposed drilling to take place, the decision will still disrupt this ecosystem enough to severely impair it. The roads, built on steep slopes, will generate tremendous erosion that will cause damage far greater than the damage caused from the actual bulldozing of ancient trees. Also, the possibility of toxic contamination of watersheds could prove far more detrimental than the actual clearing of forest to allow for well pads to be placed. These “minimal” impacts that have been approved as a compromise are comparable to a situation where a man loses his hands in an accident, instead of his life. He can continue to live on without his hands, but without the help of others, he cannot sustain himself any longer.

Considering that there is an estimated amount of gas

within the HD Mountains equal to less than two days’ worth of gas supply for the U.S. (Ecos Consulting case study report, 2002), do we really benefit from the loss of this area? Would gas prices drop drastically low from having two more days’ worth of gas available? Likely not. So where is the benefit? It does not go to the local landowners and ranchers of the HD Mountains, since they hold no mineral rights on this land. Instead, it decreases their

property value due to unsightly well pads and possible toxicity. In some cases, ranchers within the San Juan Basin (which spans Southwest Colorado and Northwest New Mexico) have had to abandon their fifth-generation ranches because the water was poisoning their cows and the land held little remaining property value. The gain is not realized by the local outdoor recreational businesses either, since the loss of wild lands to drilling decreases4

the rich wildlife available to hunting and decreases the wild areas available to tourism. Therefore, the only foreseeable benefactor would be the companies that wish to drill this area for its limited resources. Companies such as BP Amoco and others will gain a lot from drilling over the next 30 years, even if the general public doesn’t see a cost reduction, and more significantly, even if local citizens lose the rich value held within this landscape.

If we continue to allow the last of the wild environments within the United States to be drilled for their limited resources, we will suffer a great loss in the foreseeable future. Eventually, the small amounts of gas contained within these lands will run out, and then we will be left with no gas and no wild lands except the few that are considered so dramatic to be dubbed as national parks and wildlife refuges. Even these are at stake right now – think Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Therefore, we must all become educated on these issues, so that we can maintain a stronger, more powerful influence over the future of lands that we currently decide the fates of. Regarding the HDs, you can obtain valuable information, as I did, from the San Juan Citizens Alliance at http://www.savehdmountains.org. Regarding bigger picture concerning issues that affect the rest of our wild lands, we must always consider whether the decision will benefit the few for short-term profit, or the many for long-term goals. We need to become knowledgeable, take action and make an educated, forward-thinking difference.

– Sara Bombaci, via e-mail

A pretty lousy headstart

Dear Editors,

When are all levels of our government going to wake up?  I have yet another child care/schooling dilemma to drop in the bucket of such horribly funded programs. Being a single mother, I cannot afford to put my child in private preschool, and somehow the state thinks I make too much money to provide assistance (ha, ha! that’s a joke in this area). Luckily we qualified for the Head Start program at Florida Mesa Elementary. To me, early childhood education is important, and I don’t think you should be rich to be able to have a good education for your children. After being in the Headstart program for almost three months, teachers and parents received a letter on April 26 stating that there weren’t enough parents who expressed a need for a summer program and so they are going to transition two of their classrooms to Needham Elementary at the end of May. This also means that the teachers in the Florida Mesa class will be out of a job. First of all, they never sent out a letter asking parents if they needed a summer program and they (Head Start staff) admit to going through so much transition in their own offices that the letter fell by the way side. Second, I cannot believe that parents don’t need full-day services for their children; we live in an area where it’s just not feasible to stay home and not work for the summer. Third, my son and I live 2 miles north of the New Mexico border; this means a 110-mile-a-day trek when they move the classroom because I work near the airport. I know I’m not the only parent who lives and works outside of town and cannot commute all the way to Needham everyday. My fourth point of concern is that when I called the Head Start office, they told me that my son will be given first priority since he is enrolled in the full-day program but that isn’t a guarantee that he’ll have a space in their class. This is outrageous!!!!!!!!!

Head Start is not receiving enough funds to continue their program so they have to put all of the children, teachers and parents in a bind. Not only is my son going to have to go to a new class with new children and new teachers just after three months, but we will have to make an unaffordable (time is also a factor) move to town to be able to afford the commute. I just do not understand why it is so hard for parents to find affordable, quality and easy schooling and child care – this is supposed to be an issue for going to college, not preschool, private or public school. The lack of child care in our area is a serious crisis, I ask for help from City Council and the county commissioners.

– Liz Potter, down south, Durango

Photographic evidence

Dear Editors,

Over the weekend, I came upon a photograph of the Animas Valley dating back over 100 years. With the recent news on the ongoing debate between motorists and cyclists, I thought that I should bring this photo to the Telegraph’s attention. This is photographic proof that cyclists have been causing trouble on County Road 203 for upwards to 100 YEARS! When will this mayhem be put in check? The poor individuals with the umbrella obviously had to move far to one side of the road to let the cyclist pass, and the cyclist no doubt stopped soon after this photo was taken to urinate on the lawn of the century-old farm home, now being occupied by the Liggett family and their innocent daughter. Please use this photo in your publication to inform citizens of this longtime problem that is only getting worse.

– Thank you, David Smith,

via e-mail