Yes. If we want to enjoy the West we love we should be ready to (a) work to protect it; and (b) recreate in a way that doesn't destroy its value.

Minor quibble - I think the quote you attribute to Thoreau is actually from another anarchist-wilderness lover - Ed Abbey.

Thank you for publishing this article. I work in public land planning. People have no idea how important their county commissioners are as part of public land management. The local view can sometimes be pretty narrowly focused on psrsonal and economic agendas. It's important to who they are and what their politics are, then let them know yours. Elected officials care about numbers and votes.

The other important mention is the threat to public lands from efforts to privatize the Forest Service and the funding situation. Who would you rather have manage your public lands. A corporation influenced by money and votes or an agency that answers to critters, and fish, and things that grow in addition to people, and not just special interest groups.

Imagine trying to boat, hike, ride, camp, etc in a sea of RVs, OHVs, and billboards. Not that there isn't a place for that kind of fun but what if those are your only choices? Somebody has to stand up for management of public lands that looks to the future. If the best you can do is send a form letter don't send it to the Forest Servcie. Send it, or even better-real letters, to Congress and the Whitehouse. Oh yeah, don't forget your county commissioners.