Wanna buy a ‘W’? Get ready to pay dearly if you do.
Our Montana congressional delegation is on a night ride to do a dirty deed to Montana wildlands. Under cover of the “must pass” Defense funding bill they want to sneak land management legislation that has not and, given their resort to such a back room tactic, would not otherwise pass in the light of day.
What price ‘W’ilderness? The politicians and their “conservation” collaborators want you to stare to the Rocky Mountain Front, at the scenic wildland crumb protected as Wilderness. Yes, it is gorgeous. Just look at it. If that scenery is as far as one looks this deal looks great. That’s right, just keep your eyes on the beautiful Wilderness front…never mind the wildland, wildlife, and Native peoples’ losses hidden behind.
A quick look behind will reveal a dear price for the capital ‘W’ of designated Wilderness awarded those few acres of wildlands, which, by the way, are even now providing their critical wildland biological function free of charge and without government sanction.
That ‘W’ would cost a hugely disproportionate price. The wildlands sold out are ancient, miraculous and irreplaceable. They ain’t makin any more of it. It’s a Humpty Dumpty sort of a deal, all the kings men and their lackeys could not put it back together again.
A few politicians, selling their re-election ahead for wildland giveaways, along with a few supposed conservation groups like The Wilderness Society, Montana Wilderness Association and Trout Unlimited, betraying their mission in order to be players, will claim this as a victory, feeling secure that most people will not look beyond alluring but superficial scenic fascination.
Trouble is, nature bats last and natural law can not be repealed with perverse, anti-democratic night riders by venal politicians or conservation collabo-traitors. The unnoticed costs to nature will be paid.
Larry Campbell
Darby