“our national forests provide buffers that help keep the US safe from invasion”
“increased dependence on fossil fuels makes us vulnerable”
“weaken our national security”
The comment
Here in in the Evergreen State of Washington we take our forests seriously. Most people in WA would tell you that protecting the forest is a no brainer. Teddy Roosevelt would easily agree with us. While I personally believe in the value of protecting the natural beauty of our parks, forests, and untouched wildernesses; the diversity of our wildlife; the long history of indigenous reliance and maintenance of those resources, I know that argument is not the most pursuasive to the leaders of our country. So I am going to make an appeal to other values. The first I must appeal to is the untold financial cost of disrupting the forest biome. A well researched report showed that within 160 feet of roadways the threat of wildfire ignition skyrockets to 4 times higher than wilderness areas normally are. The cost of wildfires to the government and American people is immense, and the damage is in more than money it is in lives. Landslides, mudslides, and floods are also of greatly increased risk wherever our woods are cleared through to make fit for regular human travel. We do not need to expand our road reach into these areas, there is plenty of zones we've already developed in the US that wouldn't risk natural disasters and climate change on our citizens. There is plenty of infrastructure and job growth to be had in investing in modern renewable energies over building out greater dependence on last century tech and fossil fuels. The economic shocks from the Iran War greatly highlight how increased dependence on fossil fuels makes us vulnerable to the whims of the oil market and weaken our national security. Speaking of National Security, our woods are a part of our national security, it would feel like having untouched wilderness makes us more suceptible but our national forests provide buffers that help keep the US safe from invasion. A land war military skirmish is near impossible on our nation. To loop back to natural resources, but with a more social conservative flavor, hunting is a major and traditional pastime enjoyed and critical to the American populace (in WA hunters, fishers, and foragers span the entire diversity of the political spectrum, which is why it is such a no brainer for our citizens to value the woods). Good stewardship of the lands allows us to enjoy the fruits of the earth for generations to come, a small amount of restraint and effort today (very small in this case given there are not roads through these wildernesses yet at all) means generations of bounty, the bounty our forefathers and the settlers relied upon to make their harrowing passages to build the cities, states, and nation we enjoy today. Proper stewardship of the land genuinely benefits all, even for our citizens that don't explore our woods. Finally, this argument may be less pursuasive, but I think it's most important, whatever our actions, whatever our policy, we *must* do so by empowering our experts in the domain at hand. We cannot look at economic or business alone, the espertise of our experts across the domains is critical requirement to anything we do. The work of building consensus is slow and annoying, but we must build it to properly represent and protect our nation. We cannot simply find the words and recommendations of experts who affirm what we want, true quality policy comes from giving experts a seat at the table and not chasing convenience. From all my research the experts seem to be agreed here. Heed their words, lest we deprive future Americans of the beauty that we tout as "purple mountains majestes above the enameled plains" listen and read again America the Beautiful, note what this cherished song calls attention to first in its exaltations for the beauty of our nation.
Thank you for reading my ramble, I can guarantee you it is not a form letter, or generated. It is the opinions of this one citizen who knows the evergreen bounties of our nation first hand, and who wishes the future Americans get to see what I see, and what I already see withering under past policy. I know this ramble is sappy and not the best written, but it comes from the heart, and I know I am not alone.