Public lands must stay that way for US citizens

Will you visit some of our magnificent national parks, monuments or other federal lands this summer? If so, rejoice! Those opportunities might not be available to us commoners much longer.

You have probably heard that our president and appointees think public lands not used for profit-making are a waste. They’re evaluating recently created national monuments for possible elimination — and likely hoping fewer will have seen them, so fewer would oppose. But an attack against one is an attack against all.

I’ve been to Grand Staircase-Escalante, expecting something inferior. It was “wow!” Sparse landscape opens out into a canyon floor about 1,000 feet or so deep and perhaps a mile or more wide. The highway descends easily — not precipitously — down undulating rocky features leading onto the flat valley floor, which also has numerous erosion forms and wildlife. After traversing the bottom lands, the road continues up the far side, also in a nuanced manner. I started down, but ran out of time, having underestimated the area’s appeal. What’s the rest of this huge monument like? I don’t know — though monuments also often display archeology, habitat, Americana heritage, or areas sacred to Native peoples.

Profit? What’s inferior about contemplation, relaxation, invigoration, exuberance, restoration of one’s spirit after being smothered in daily routine until it seems like nothing else is left? What is wrong with this being available to all people, as a human benefit, at only the cost of taxpayer upkeep?

Complain now to Senators Rubio and Nelson (by phone or e-mail, letters are impounded 30 days) or we may lose many of our various public land types. Note Trump’s budget would slash the National Park Service by 84 percent. These lands were federally owned (“ours”) before getting their current designations. The only “land grab” is what private moneyed interests want now.

This story was originally published June 3, 2017 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Public lands must stay that way for US citizens."