Today and yesterday were spent with my son at Cub Country day camp. With us were some of his friends and another father/fellow Cub Scout leader from the neighborhood. The camp is located in a stunning, narrow, rugged, mountain canyon near my home. It’s one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.
The first thing we were told when we arrived at camp was that all rocks and sticks should be left where they are so that other people can enjoy them. “But,” we were told, “we have a Trading Post in camp, where you can purchase other great souvenirs to remind you of your time here.” I suggested to my friend that over the span of 100 years, if every boy that ever came to this camp went home with a pocket-full of stones, you wouldn’t be able to tell at all. Later in the day, I told him about a dinosaur track I had recently seen on a trip to the San Rafael Swell. The track, millions of years old, is being damaged by people who cover it with rocks to hide it and ‘protect’ it from vandals.
Just the day before I went to camp, I found myself in a related, but much more intense conversation with a group of friends from work. Someone commented on how out of control the government is with taking away lands and establishing them as protected areas, thus rendering them useless to industry. As the topic rolled quickly through the group of six people, I found that I was on my own on this one and cautiously disagreed.
One big problem I have with arguing about big, emotionally charged subjects is that you seem to have to pick one side or the other. I don’t know why this is the case. It seems ridiculous to me that there can be only two sides to every argument. Some things, like preserving lands over industry, or vice versa, are so ambiguous and multifaceted that there can be as many ‘sides’ to the story as there are individuals and experiences related to the subject.
One thing I do know is that normally the people facing off are not too far apart on the facts. For example, most people agree that keeping Americans working is a good thing. Most people also believe that protecting natural wonders and ancient artifacts is also important. But, depending on your personal experience or beliefs, you may have to decide between one or the other of these two issues.
I personally believe that as the current tenants of Earth, preservation is our duty. We each have a moral obligation to protect the world for the use and enjoyment of future generations.
But I disagree that preservation means leaving every rock or stick exactly the way you found it. For example, a road to an amazing location, opens it up to being appreciated by more people, thus making preservation more likely. That same road, if used appropriately, also keeps the viewer from straying too far, and unintentionally damaging the thing they came to see.
For my entire life, I have been a collector of rocks. It is a pastime I learned from my father’s uncle, who spent his life collecting beautiful rocks and artifacts in the deserts and hills of Southern Utah. He now is gone, but his collections still inspire everyone who sees them. For me, collecting is essential to preservation. Without collections, there would be little inspiration for, or interest in preservation. I’m referring only to the legal, non destructive collection of small, naturally broken off pieces.
The rocks I have collected, all through legal and non-destructive means, tie me to the place they are from. They remind me of amazing things and of my desire to see and experience them again. And, when I do go again, I will take someone who has probably not seen the place before. They in turn will hopefully grow to appreciate these things for themselves.
The first thing we were told when we arrived at camp was that all rocks and sticks should be left where they are so that other people can enjoy them. “But,” we were told, “we have a Trading Post in camp, where you can purchase other great souvenirs to remind you of your time here.” I suggested to my friend that over the span of 100 years, if every boy that ever came to this camp went home with a pocket-full of stones, you wouldn’t be able to tell at all. Later in the day, I told him about a dinosaur track I had recently seen on a trip to the San Rafael Swell. The track, millions of years old, is being damaged by people who cover it with rocks to hide it and ‘protect’ it from vandals.
Just the day before I went to camp, I found myself in a related, but much more intense conversation with a group of friends from work. Someone commented on how out of control the government is with taking away lands and establishing them as protected areas, thus rendering them useless to industry. As the topic rolled quickly through the group of six people, I found that I was on my own on this one and cautiously disagreed.
One big problem I have with arguing about big, emotionally charged subjects is that you seem to have to pick one side or the other. I don’t know why this is the case. It seems ridiculous to me that there can be only two sides to every argument. Some things, like preserving lands over industry, or vice versa, are so ambiguous and multifaceted that there can be as many ‘sides’ to the story as there are individuals and experiences related to the subject.
One thing I do know is that normally the people facing off are not too far apart on the facts. For example, most people agree that keeping Americans working is a good thing. Most people also believe that protecting natural wonders and ancient artifacts is also important. But, depending on your personal experience or beliefs, you may have to decide between one or the other of these two issues.
I personally believe that as the current tenants of Earth, preservation is our duty. We each have a moral obligation to protect the world for the use and enjoyment of future generations.
But I disagree that preservation means leaving every rock or stick exactly the way you found it. For example, a road to an amazing location, opens it up to being appreciated by more people, thus making preservation more likely. That same road, if used appropriately, also keeps the viewer from straying too far, and unintentionally damaging the thing they came to see.
For my entire life, I have been a collector of rocks. It is a pastime I learned from my father’s uncle, who spent his life collecting beautiful rocks and artifacts in the deserts and hills of Southern Utah. He now is gone, but his collections still inspire everyone who sees them. For me, collecting is essential to preservation. Without collections, there would be little inspiration for, or interest in preservation. I’m referring only to the legal, non destructive collection of small, naturally broken off pieces.
The rocks I have collected, all through legal and non-destructive means, tie me to the place they are from. They remind me of amazing things and of my desire to see and experience them again. And, when I do go again, I will take someone who has probably not seen the place before. They in turn will hopefully grow to appreciate these things for themselves.
So I say, pick up those rocks, boys. If you love them, fill your pockets. If you want them, take them home. But, remember where they came from, and always do what you can to keep this place special for anyone who follows you.
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