Keep land in wilderness study area

Editor,

I am writing to express my concern with Rep. Kerry White’s proposed resolution, House Joint Resolution 9. This resolution seeks to release Montana’s Wilderness Study Areas from consideration for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System. As a strong supporter of public lands and the ideals behind wilderness, I strongly oppose this resolution.

HJ9 would release about 1 million acres from their federal Wilderness Study Area designation and protection. White views these lands solely through an economic lens, as a resource to be used and exploited, valuable in dollars and nothing else. Yet how can one put a dollar value on the multitude of ecosystem services public lands provide? How can one price serenity, solitude and beauty? There is much land designated for resource extraction and industry; it is our responsibility to designate certain lands as wilderness for their preservation.

White makes the point that these lands have passed their five-year period for review to be included in the NWPS. Though it has been more than five years, I don’t think these lands should be disregarded. I believe that our secretary of agriculture needs to evaluate and recommend these lands for inclusion in the NWPS. Wilderness Study Areas receive their designation, in part, by their naturalness. If their naturalness is lost, there is no regaining it.

It is my hope that other Montanans recognize this resolution’s negative implications for public lands and encourage their senator to vote against it.

Victoria Arnsparger

Missoula