[Birdtalk] Bear River Refuge Road Project - needs your help

[Colby Neuman]

While obviously I would love the money to go towards securing water rights
(maybe the most overlooked issue on the GSL), fighting invasives, etc., and
while admittedly I don't know exactly where the money is coming from, I'd be
surprised if the federal government just forked over the money for those
concerns especially if this is being supplied by a division dealing with
transportation.   But until I know more about the funding situation, I
cannot really comment on the above matter...

Anyway, I think everyone so far has missed the most important point, good or
bad, from the road being paved and it's something most environmentalists
forget...public education or opinion is by far and away the most important
conservation tool.  I think it's great if the road is paved out to the
refuge.  Yeah, I personally don't mind the washboards and I'm willing to
drive out there, but I'd imagine the average Utah family was probably not
too impressed after driving that road, and I guarantee there are probably a
significant number that came back pissed b/c of having to drive 5 mph along
a bumpy dusty road, or they got a flat tire or whatever else, and
subsequently, told friends and family to not bother with going out to the
refuge.  I could be selfish and say this makes the refuge less crowded for
people like me, but I'm sorry, this is an absolute tragedy!  I would be
surprised if even 25% of your neighbors think the Great Salt Lake is
anything more than a smelly salty lake.  We need to absolutely be
encouraging people to get out to the wetlands around the Great Salt Lake,
not discouraging them.  Remember most of the refuge is closed to the public
already.  And yeah there may or may not be a small disturbance to a few
extra birds, but I absolutely guarantee the increased positive experience
for the average Utah family and their subsequent support for protecting the
wetlands will be beneficial.  Not to open a bag of worms, but I think the
environmental community should be ashamed of themselves that the 1 million
residents in Salt Lake County, most of which live within 10-30 minutes of
some amazing wetlands, have 1) never been to any of the wetlands and 2) if
they want to go during the breeding season, have to drive 1.5 hrs to Bear
River b/c the majority of Farmington Bay and other preserves are closed.

My 'crappy' logic...

Colby



On Dec 12, 2007 8:47 AM, Cliff and Lisa Weisse <
CliffandLisa at octobersetters.com> wrote:

> I agree with Dave and Connie, leave the road alone.  A nice wide paved
> road is just what you need to encourage everyone to drive so fast that
> it's no longer safe to pull over and look at wildlife.  That would be a
> lovely "improvement".  Who comes up with this crap any way?
>
> Cliff
>
> --
> Cliff and Lisa Weisse
> Island Park, Idaho
> cliffandlisa at octobersetters.com
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Birdtalk at utahbirds.org
> http://utahbirds.org/mailman/listinfo/birdtalk
>
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