Judge dismisses lawsuit over wilderness shelters

[justpeachy]

http://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/loc ... /95532938/

This is good news for fire lookouts and other existing buildings in wilderness areas, although it won't change the fact that there is often no funding, resources, or political will to preserve these structures. The crumbling Sandy River Guard Station comes to mind...

[vibramhead]

Good news indeed! With all the genuine threats that wilderness faces, I'm mystified that some groups want to make a federal case out of a few rustic log shelters.

[miah66]

Good news indeed! With all the genuine threats that wilderness faces, I'm mystified that some groups want to make a federal case out of a few rustic log shelters.

Agreed! They have a cow about an old structure that is falling down, yet don't seem to mind when it's threatened by logging, privatization, grazing, mining, etc. And I don't mean theoretically threatened, but ACTUALLY threatened. It could happen as soon as Jan 21st.

[BigBear]

I agree with those who have weighed in already. Certain structures were grandfathered into the Wilderness Act, and thus should be maintained.

It is important to know which outdoor groups represent your values and not to contribute based on the sound of their name. I do recall one group with a wilderness-like name that was actually composed of timber companies that favored strip logging. In another instance, a Montana/Wyoming-based group advocated the removal of all trail junction signage in wilderness per the "minimal impact of man" clause in the Act.

[retired jerry]

outdoor groups that submit lawsuits for every timber sale bug me too

we should have a better over-all plan for which places would be appropriate to log, and which not

we use lumber, some people's jobs depend on logging, some logging is probably sustainable

and, not popular here, but just because a hiking trail goes through an area doesn't mean it shouldn't be logged. Like approach portions of trails. As long as they fix it up afterwards. It would be an opportunity to put up informational signs about sustainable logging and it's economic effect. And use some of the proceeds to construct trails, access roads,...

There was a show on PBS about Grizzlies. They analyzed DNA and stuff. Determined that they need connected wilderness in Yellowstone, Glacier, and up into Canada in order to have a sustainable population.

That's what we should do for all plants and animals, focusing on "indicator species". Flowing down from that we can make decisions about what land to log and how to do it.

[Webfoot]

There was a show on PBS about Grizzlies. They analyzed DNA and stuff. Determined that they need connected wilderness in Yellowstone, Glacier, and up into Canada in order to have a sustainable population.

I think this is the one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI8ppBPqfRY

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/wild-ways.html

[retired jerry]

yeah, that was it, Nova

one thing interesting was to get wildlife between Yellowstone and northern Idaho wildernesses, the wildlife had to cross a highway and some ranches

the ranchers were fairly cooperative. If they did things like leave gates open when their animals were done grazing in a pasture, then wildlife could get through easier. They're pretty good at probing around and finding a route through.

[Webfoot]

That show really opened my eyes to the fact that wildlife "islands" do not an ecosystem make.