National Parks and Forestry problems

my personal investigation | 04/27/02 | E A Graham

[MarthaNOStewart]

ARE YOU SEEING EXTREME CHANGES IN YOUR NATIONAL PARK?? I have witnessed a new low in US Forestry Service closing and changing camping areas in our state of NC, to keep people out. It is going to hurt tourism in our area, and leaves the families of WNC with nowhere to go this summer.

[MarthaNOStewart]

Forestry claims they are providing a campspot for each one they close, however I have witnessed these camping spots and they are not accessible for small children, nor do they have parking, and they are usually up on a bank by dirt road across from creeks/streams and no place for children to play. It says "don't come here we don't want you" to tourists and families. WHY would our US Forestry Game Wardens and other officials want to do this? They don't want to deal with the people who use the National Parks for inexpenive vacations. That would be the families and single parents of America. Lets get some SENATORS AND RESPESENTAVIES BUSY changing this!! It Stinks of ENVIRO and HOMO politics.

[MarthaNOStewart]

How are the National Parks in your area using their campgrounds, and are they making changes that say "stay away"???

[HairOfTheDog]

Budget cuts and reduced staffing is reported to threaten closure of some of the state parks in Washington... Don't know about the National Parks, but it may be the same thing.

[MarthaNOStewart]

They PAID for large boulders to be hauled in to close those campsites, and they planted high density grass....it didn't come cheap. They threw large tree trunks and junk wood making it look ugly to prevent campers...that cost money in labor didn't it?

Also our National Parks (some in this area) are being leased out to highest bidder for use of paying campsites. This has been going on for five years or more. The bidders make a profit on campsites and pay National Parks.

The campsites I am speaking about are the free ones for local families, and tourists who come here regularly to mountains. I asked local game warden and he said "we don't want to deal with partyers"...EXCUSE ME...These parks are not his private property to close cause he doesn't want to do his job!! The free campsites are all we "the public" have left. Have them arrested, ticketed or whatever..but why punish the children of America?>??

[HairOfTheDog]

I agree with you that it is a shame. But paying someone for a day to create a road-block is a lot cheaper than paying a Park Ranger to patrol the park and break up parties all summer costs more. You mentioned Game Wardens, and patrolling campsites is not their job at all, policing hunting in the area is. Perhaps you meant park Rangers. The money would be better spent keeping parks open than some of the things they choose to spend it on, IMHO, so write to your newspapers and congressmen about how important this is to you and hopefully they will shift some priorities.

Out here, the Dept of Natural Resources land that I camp and trail ride in (and prefer because there aren't improved campsites that attract people) are threatened by closure and restriction because they can't keep up with mobile methamphetamine labs that use the logging road dead ends and leave their mess behind. Patrolling thousands of acres of woods takes money... I for one hope they find it, so the public can still enjoy this taxpayer-owned land for recreation and not be kept out because of criminals.

[forester]

Sounds like they are moving the old campgrounds away from the river or stream. It's not just where you are Martha, it's going on everywhere. Here in northern Kalifornia, we are seeing old access roads literally being ripped out and obliterated. When locals complained that the road to be removed was a popular camping area for the local residents, the USFS Ranger stated that "National goals and objectives are more important then local custom and culture." Until the people in the city realize what is happening, I'm afraid that this sort of thing is going to continue. These agencies do not feel that they are accountable to anyone.

[SR71A]

Isn't Western North Carolina part of that UN "World Environmental Zones", or whatever gibberish is the name, that the UN wants to control? Coming soon to a wild area you like, thanks to the UN and their globalist accomplices in the US. The Forest Service and the National Parks Service are probably being used to enforce that particular madness.

[HairOfTheDog]

Don't know a thing about it. The UN doing anything to control US forestlands sounds too whacked to be true... but I have seen references here at FR... What is the truth about it? - Have a reliable website?

[LarryLied]

Two decades ago, I watched them chase campers and RV'ers out of the Tahoe National Forest around Downieville. Last time I was there, in 1994, I saw more Forest Service trucks than visitors.

[farmfriend]

Isn't Western North Carolina part of that UN "World Environmental Zones", or whatever gibberish is the name, that the UN wants to control? Coming soon to a wild area you like, thanks to the UN and their globalist accomplices in the US. The Forest Service and the National Parks Service are probably being used to enforce that particular madness.

Carry_Okie knows more about that than anyone else around here.

[Cleburne]

Not here. One can still camp anywhere his heart desires in the National Forests of Mississipi and Alabama- very liberal, probably too liberal! I believe the rule is 100 feet from a road, but I camped recently about that close, nothing done to me. It was a steep mountain valley (aye, in Alabama!), not much flat ground. The remaining flat ground of the valley, off the road, was soon taken up my canoers, who were camped out under a bridge, in some very heavily used and defoliated spots, anywhere at tent would set up, all on Forest land, none of which sites were designated camping locations. As far as I know this is standard practice for National Forests, though I have seen some areas that are posted as off limits to camping due to overuse. But these are rather rare, and I have never seen them in the national forests I frequent. Perhaps in more populated regions it is more common. Now, in National Parks, in the East anyway, camping is generaly restricted to designated campsites, which can be a pain. Doesn't bother me much, I would suggest going to a National Forest. I'm not terribly familiar with North Carolina, but in Tennessee, Cherokee National Forest is nice, with lots of on-road camping. Relatively few people, or at least there were when I was last there a couple years ago.

[forester]

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO has set up what they call "biosphere reserves" under a program called Man in the Biosphere To answer the question of, "Has it happened in my area?", click your location on this UN map

[forester]

Have you seen any symbols like this appear on any of the signs at the National Park?

[luvmysuv]

What I find fascinating about this land confiscation is no one seems to know about it; or if they know, few care. Its very curious how the USFS and UN have taken such a large bite out of available land and have made it either inaccessible, costly to just park on it to use the facilities or user unfriendly. I just don't get it. Our tax dollars are seemingly at work to close us out of our own public lands.

[forester]

You're absolutely right, even many of the local people affected by this are unaware of what is really going on. I seldom mention the UN to folks anymore because people refuse to believe that these programs really exist. They think to themselves "It won't happen here in America" Fortunately, the word is beginning to spread and, thanks to the internet and sites like Free Republic, more and more people are becoming aware of this stuff. As Martha would say, "That's a good thing!"

[MarthaNOStewart]

I know of those UN maps and the land-grab that they are trying to pull off. I thought that the Bush Administration was going to address some of Clintons blunders, and push back this type of intrusion into our public lands.

In fact how did National Parks manage for last 100 years, and now all of a sudden there's no money?? If they are preparing proper budgets and getting money, where is it going?? The whole point of a budget is to ask for what you need to operate isn't it?

Children who participate in camping, outdoor recreation and getting involved in nature have a better chance, than families who do not spend quiet time together. Its so much better to leave the tv behind and get to know your kids.

[SR71A]

Thanks for that link. The area I was thinking about is the "Southern Appalachian" "reserve".

There are some interesting figures here: Core (present) area: 235,000 hectares

To be given:14,960,000 hectares

That is a h-||ofa lot of land, folks -- that area "to be given" is 57,000 square miles!

Who, exactly, is going to "give it away"?

I used Online conversion for the conversions

:)

[MarthaNOStewart]

The campsites I speak of are unimproved. They have been alongside streams in North Mills River for over 50 yrs, and offer nothing more than a patch of dirt near the water. However people were happy with these sites, as they had parking, accessible to road, and flatter areas for children to play. Everyone used large trash bags to take trash with them. Sure there is always one or two who don't pull their load, however we need to find places for community service for juveniles who aren't murderers or rapists. Why not let them clean the parks?

[MarthaNOStewart]

I guess you are right about the "wild madness" of UN thing, and I will write my congressman. However one little grandmother isn't going to get much support is she? LOL How about if all of you join me in writing our congressman and ask for some help with our National Parks and places our children and grandchildren need for healthy upbringing.

[MarthaNOStewart]

Yes that sign looks familiar to me, does it mean no hope? Or can we make a difference here?