Endangered Species Act: Numbers, Facts, and Defining Success
Despite a strong bi-partisan agreement that environmental protection is in fact economically and socially important, a major issue we’re now faced with is how to evaluate the success of existing publicly funded environmental programs–such as the Endangered Species Act–in the midst of economic turmoil. Over the weekend I read budget proposals and press releases from … Read more
Where to Buy Outdoor Gear Online…with a Student’s “Salary”
When I see photos of grizzled mountaineers on top of Denali or Rainier in what appear to be burlap sacks, leather moccasins, and heavy, inefficient wool jackets, I wonder if they survived the trip down. Of course, many of them did–albeit with less digits and limbs that were claimed by Jack Frost. Nevertheless, the fact remains that their gear was, … Read more
The Columbian Exchange and Protecting Our Ecological Heirlooms
In Charles C. Mann’s latest eco-historical book “1493″, he recounts how Christopher Columbus re-assembled pangea’s flora and fauna identity. Pangea was the connected conglomeration of the earth’s continents before they split. He did this through, what we can now deem, ecological globalization: The spreading and re-distributing of flora and fauna back to continents where they had … Read more
A Road Less Travelled: The Flat Tops Wilderness (Wagonwheel Trail-Days 6-7)
Everything in the world is beautiful, but Man only recognizes beauty if he sees it seldom or from afar.-Vladmir Nobokov from “Gods” We left the Holy Cross area by mid-morning. Car after car cut through the cakey dust, sending helical plumes into the still air over Homestake Creek and onto it’s riparian shoulders. We left … Read more
Cost-Counting and the Delusion of Free Car-Camping (Night 5)
“If we make that shift toward a life simple in means but rich in goals, we are not threatened by plans for saving the planet.” -Arne Naess After leaving the South San Juan Wilderness, my wife and I went north to backpack in a less monsoonal climate. When we arrived at Minturn, hoping to camp … Read more
Oh my-cology! How shrooms will save the planet
A Jerry Garcia look-a-like proposes a solution to save the planet by using fungi, specifically Mycelium. He surveys the history of the fungi and speaks to its ability to both precede all other forms of life on earth and outlive all other species after a catastrophe (asteroid, volcano, oil spill, all other causes of mass … Read more
Conservationist Definition of Pine Beetle Kill
Conservationism perspective in general: As a conservation biologist I am most interested in humans’ proper ethical role in nature- which by definition is to repair damage and restore lost harmonies. This is done predominantly through restoration and conservation projects, such as managing the impact man has had on nature, managing natural resources and preventing hazards. … Read more
Timber Industry Pine Beetle Management Recomendations
The Timber Industry and the Pine Beetle In a document titled “After the Beetles”, the Colorado Timber Industry Association proposes a three step strategy to address the pine beetle epidemic in Colorado forests. “ Regenerate the affected timberlands Reduce fire risks in adjacent to private lands Implement strategically located firebreaks” ( coloradotimber.org) CTIA proposes that … Read more
Mountain Pine Beetle Preservation Management Suggestion
Because Wilderness Areas–and other forms of preserved landscapes–are outside the realm of human intervention, anthropogenic disturbances does not necessitate management by humans. The question, then, is not, “How do we manage these issues?”, but rather, “How do we appropriately mitigate their occurrences in the first place?” This means tightening regulations on surrounding landscapes that are … Read more
Snowshoeing Tanglewood Creek in the Mt. Evans Wilderness
Posted by sainteterre on November 6, 2011 · Leave a Comment
The Deer Creek/Rosalie/Tanglewood trails have been a go-to for my wife and I anytime we need a quick wilderness tour and don’t have a lot of time to travel. The view from Tanglewood’s summit yields unique views of the southern Front Range and the undulating expanse of the Great Plains. The trail becomes faint in … Read more
Filed under Prose, Review & Commentary · Tagged with backpacking, Climb, Environment, Fly Fishing, Photography, Prose, review, travel, Wilderness Areas