Posted on 10/01/2014 9:22:26 AM PDT by llevrok
A few days ago, news broke about the US Forest Service demanding that one needed a $1500 permit to take photos on US Forest Service managed land. That was in response to a news organization who was filming a story on the forests and was denied access to the National Forest with out a permit. The "reason" given was that the USFS did not want their (note "their") forests commercially exploited at the risk of harm to the environment with increased human contact the photographs may encourage.
This news went viral quickly, especially among the media, claiming a violation of 1st amendment rights.
Stories followed about all photography being banned with out a permit.
The USFS quickly back pedaled and said this did not apply to journalists nor recreational photographers - only commercial ones ( NatGeo is now banned?).
So I'm in the HQ of the Olympic National Forest yesterday, looking for a road map so I (a recreational photog) can go shoot some fall foliage and saw a poster for a photo contest
If they want to discourage people coming into the forests due to exploitation of the forest's beauty, why sponsor a $25,000 contest?
And with tin hat firmly affixed, I also ask - what are you really hiding in "your" forests, USFS?
[If they want to discourage people coming into the forests due to exploitation of the forest’s beauty, why sponsor a $25,000 contest?]
They want names.
And, I might add, is the government ponying up $25,000 of MY money to do this at all??????
The Village :)
Why BOTHER protecting the forests, when the border is wide open to anyone with a book of matches and who hates the US? I mean... c’mon!!
None of this makes sense any more!
Thanks for posting the poster pic.
Yes, they do appear to be trying to mitigate the backlash over their recent unconstitutional limitation on the right to access public lands.
Ironically the real reason is, they want to limit negative perceptions of their public lands management.
The forests here in the Northwest are full of foreigners picking salal (greenery)for the florist industry. You see their vans parked everywhere.
Kneel! Kneel before your masters! All hail the government employees!
Oops - we took pictures in a wilderness area: Editorial
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/09/oops_-_we_took_pictures_in_a_w.html
The FS's take, while wrong, is that the news crews are there for "commercial purposes". Unfortunately for the FS, the First Amendment trumps them in this area.
But, on the southern border, the illegals ARE CROSSING the “pristine wilderness” national rec areas and national forests - where the Border Patrol is FORBIDDEN to drive! - with so many people and trash that the national wreck areas are being destroyed.
But this is the Obama administration, and Obama’s national press corpse.
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