I would like to give an example of endangered local habitat and make a
prediction that I think is relevant to this group and the wild places
we enjoy. The area around Fort Collins, Colorado is exploding in
population. Huge additions are being built. The recreation in the
area is wonderful (I lived there for 12 years). One of the gems is
the Poudre River Canyon. It is about 50 miles of wonderful rural and
scenic riparian area. The people of Fort Collins love their river.
Now for my prediction. even though people love the outdoors and love
their river, when population pressures force the need for more water
and people have to give up all their lawns and cleaning things and the
public pool and when it gets down to just crops and drinking water
they will dam the Poudre river and you can kiss the Poudre River
canyon goodbye. No one is asking now if there is a problem with
uncontrolled population growth, they will just take the natural places
because they have to survive *that day* when it is too late. In a
choice between your children's survival and nature, nature loses. The
way to avoid that decision is to consider population today not how we
accommodate the population when it is too late.
I don't mean this to sound so negative but like high explosives,
exponential growth needs to be handled with great care and we can't
just say "Things will work out". Not that anyone has in this very
nature sensitive group. I just feel compelled by Walt's remarks to
express my feelings about this seldom mentioned threat to nature.
|