The recent Forest Service announcement that chain saws will be allowed very sparingly to help clear trails within the South San Juan and Weminuche wildernesses has been met with both praise and criticism.
The value of Wilderness goes beyond recreation.
Of great importance is wildlife habitat, watersheds and the preservation of pristine ecosystems for future scientific reference.
However, man must enter on trails for management purposes as well as for recreation. The Forest Service must maintain trail systems or be guilty of dereliction of responsibilities.
If trails are not maintained they will erode or wash out, requiring much more than a chain saw for repair and restoration.
The greater collective that accomplishes trail clearing, whether they be volunteers or contract or salaried Forest Service employees, or funding sources for grants, all should be respected for being parts of the solutions to wilderness management.
The Forest Service is overwhelmed, underfunded and understaffed while faced with dead and dying forests of national disaster proportions. The need is not for constant criticism, but for constant contribution – contributions of time, energy, support and even money.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 allows for logical exemptions, which have been used in the past.
The only precedent being established is the magnitude of dead and dying forests!
Dick Ray
Pagosa Springs
