Well said, Heidi. Too many
well-meaning and passionate people think that unless you agree with their
particular point of view or their particular solution to a problem, you don't
care, or worse you are part of the problem. Some of these folks find it hard to
realize that you simply might see a different solution to the problem. Take as
an example the current fire in South
Lake Tahoe near the Tevis Trail. It has generally
been agreed that the forest there was seriously overgrown and thus was a prime
candidate for a massive fire. Many of those who see themselves as "tree
huggers" knew the forest needed thinning, but resisted any attempt to
allow private logging companies to conduct selective logging as well as clear
the under story. Instead, they wanted thinning to be government controlled with
extensive regulations to safeguard against over-logging.
They didn't want
"greedy" logging companies cutting trees for profit even if that
meant they would also clear the under story and make the forest less prone to
burn. These were caring, passionate people who have a vision of the forest in
its primeval state. But that time has long gone. Their vision unattainable.
Since no government entity in the area had sufficient funds to do what was
needed, the task of thinning was pretty much left up to the property owners who
were - and are - confused over what is and is not allowable. The end result
was that precious little actual thinning was done. Now, thousands of acres
have burned. Thousands of people evacuated, hundreds of homes lost, wildlife
displaced, valuable resources lost. These are the unintended consequences that
nobody wanted, but that we are now left with. We need to learn from this lesson
that we have to work together and stop labeling each other as enemies of what
we find dear. --Dave
