Watersheds Messenger Winter 2001 Vol. VIII, No. 1 PDF ISSUE |
|
Conservation
is Conservative |
During the course of the winter I've spent a lot of time at home. And I've been doing a lot of thinking. I've noticed a strange turn in the political climate that is quite perplexing. And I've come to the conclusion that we democrats got a bum rap.
I'm getting ahead of myself. It all started on a
trip to Thunder Mountain last summer. Before I worked for Idaho Watersheds Project I was
monitoring wolf packs in Central Idaho. And gardening to pay the bills. The packs I was
investigating for the summer were the Landmark, Bear Valley Trio, Jureano Mountain (who
barely existed), Moyer Basin, and Thunder Mountain packs. Not just the packs themselves,
but also the social factor. Humans living in areas where a wolf family sets up a home.
While planning my trip to the Thunder Mountain area, the goals I had set for myself were
mostly biological.. . Where did the pack call home? What was the topography? Flora? Fauna?
Had there been depredation problems?
After I left the Cascade Ranger Station, I excitedly drove into the mountains. Past Warm Lake, where, in 1935, Molly Kessler lit a fire in the middle of the lake in order to help guide a lost airplane into Cascade. Through Landmark, an old CCC Camp, Forest Ranger Station, and now a Work Camp. Down Johnson Creek running clean, cold, and clear. Up Old Thunder Mountain Road. Then an encounter with big rocks blocking the way, forcing a U-turn.
Down Old Thunder Mountain Road. Further up Johnson Creek. Why is it that some of the most beautiful places are cursed with landing strips? Up the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon through a tight, rugged, and rocky canyon. Past Stibnite, where nature is reclaiming what man hasn't even cleaned up. And on, to Thunder Mountain, beautiful, perfect, cow-free, a worthy part of the Wolf Holyland. A wolf sanctuary, as they say. My trip was a success.
But then, as I drove out, mulling all I had learned, the final lesson arrived. Around the corner, a couple of men with a teenage son were unloading horses. They flagged me down and asked if I could give one of them a lift into Yellow Pine. The other two could then keep the truck for when they returned from their pack trip. "No problem," I said.As we drove on, we started
talking about the area. He was a visitor but knew the locale well. The conversation got
around to wolves and wolf reintroduction. I explained I was interested in the local's
perspective. Knowing the local tavern owner, he invited me in to repay me for the ride.
While waiting for lunch we were joined by a middle-aged man and the tavern owner. A little
later, a local woman, who happened to write for the local paper, stopped in. Conversation
was lively about our friend Canis lupus. All parties were frank about their opinions.
Then the moment arrived. The
woman said that she had always considered herself "conservative." Well, at
first, I was a little confused about what she meant. Then she went
Well, let me tell
you, this was Big.
At first I
didn't realize just how big. Now, this was all during that great election we just had. And
I was one of the few who was watching the debates and paying attention to the issues. And,
to and behold, the Democrats were being the fiscal conservatives - "lock box"
for Social Security and paying down the national debt. Sounds pretty conservative to me.
And then this
recent nonsense in the Middle East and the renewed interest in Star Wars. I wouldn't say Bush is being very internationally
conservative. How can we let the Republicans get
away with this? Environmentally, fiscally, and
internationally more conservative.
Why do they keep
calling democrats "liberals?" Now, I know it takes some getting used to. I even
had chills down my spine the first time I realized the truth, but think about it.
Conservation is conservative.
Biologist
Becca Wiegand
works on wildlife and wildlands issues from her home in Lowman, ID.