Letter to the editor

Christine Hoekenga writes that Neal Hitchcock says that the Forest Service has to “borrow money from other programs to cover emergency costs” (HCN, 11/12/07). That’s not actually true. The 45 percent of budgeted fire suppression and any “budget overruns” are, if you will, stolen from other programs. They do not get repaid, thus starving the […]

(Editor’s Note: The following letter was written by Rebecca Solnit in response to our Oct. 29 article titled “Making a home for hope: An interview with Rebecca Solnit”.) I know the intentions were good, but the interview with me in High Country News was damagingly distorted. Readers should know that the conversation was not recorded, […]

As a retired high school English teacher and member of the Western Literary Association since 1976, I truly enjoyed the books and essay issue and read every article (HCN, 10/29/07). Ray Ring’s review of two books on firefighting was especially interesting. I gave a paper at last October’s WLA meeting in Boise on blowups and […]

In order to restore myself to earthly and cosmic balance after sending a negative note regarding the essay “RV Nation,” I must congratulate the editors for an excellent job on the Oct. 29 books and essays issue. They attained a mighty fine groove in this issue, and I appreciate it greatly. P. “Whale” Szczepanowski McCall, […]

The tone of Jonathan Thompson’s brief report on the Jeffs trial conveys unwarranted skepticism about the validity of the prosecution (HCN, 10/15/07). “There was a time … could go about their daily lives without much outside scrutiny,” is probably a factually accurate statement but implies that scrutiny is akin to outside interference. Then there’s a […]

We need a sustainable solution to the problem of pollution (HCN, 9/17/07). Drinking endocrine disrupters is not the answer unless they help prevent population growth. Replumb our recycled sewage water into a system used for just that purpose – flushing our sewage. How many gallons of water are used during a ball game at the […]

How wonderful that you can experience a little of what I was able to experience 45 years ago, when campgrounds weren’t crowded, you could drink from springs and creeks before giardia was imported from central Asia, many places that are now housing developments were wilderness, and we didn’t have Gore-Tex, lightweight tents, foam mattresses, sleeping […]

I read with understanding and dismay the essay by Evelyn Spence on the RV blight (HCN, 10/15/07). I hope she will soften her point of view in due time … I’m an elderly rancher/horse dealer/painter, with two RVs at present, both of which she forgot to mention: “Chinook” and “Airstream.” Music to my ears. Named […]

I appreciate Rick Craig’s illuminating the concerns of the scientific community, and some forward-thinking members of Congress, regarding tree planting as a means of offsetting CO2 production (HCN, 10/15/07). Planting trees does nothing to alleviate our appetite for fossil fuels and petroleum-derived consumer products. Real estate developers are now jumping onto the bandwagon of planting […]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claims that border fencing won’t jeopardize the jaguar because the U.S. Southwest is unneeded turf for conserving the species worldwide (HCN, 10/15/07). Unless someone reverses this myopic policy in court, we can forget about federal protection of jaguar habitat any time soon, since, by inference, the same would apply […]

Thank you so much for publishing “Eminent domain’s poster children” (HCN, 10/15/07). I hope it serves as a way to inform people about the issue we are facing in southeast Colorado. This proposed land grab stands to ruin not only lives but the beautiful landscape and history of this area. We are working together as […]

I find I must respond to Evelyn Spence’s somewhat arrogant and self-serving essay on RV owners (HCN, 10/15/07). There are as many reasons why people choose to camp with RVs as there are people who own them. What you don’t understand is that many of us are not camping all of the time. Sometimes we […]

All I can say to Evelyn Spence is, “Been there … Done that! NOT doing it anymore, so eat your heart out, babe!” (HCN, 10/15/07). Your day will come whenever you get tired of the rocks poking you in the back and the smoke stinging your eyes. If you have a tent, you have more […]

I want to correct a misperception by Nathaniel Hoffman in his article entitled “Sheep v. Sheep” (HCN, 10/01/07). Nathaniel incorrectly describes Western Watersheds Project as an anti-grazing group. In fact, Western Watersheds Project is very much pro-grazing – just not by domestic livestock. Jon Marvel Executive Director, Western Watersheds Project Hailey, Idaho This article appeared […]

Despite the odd title – “A downside to downing dams?” – the relatively positive restoration story provided a glimpse into the inherent complexity of dam removal (HCN, 10/01/07). But there is much more to the Fossil Creek story. Getting to the point of dam removal is seldom easy. The Fossil Creek power plant decommissioning (done) […]

I was pleased to see an article highlighting some of the great river restoration successes on Fossil Creek (HCN, 10/01/07). It is unfortunate, however, that the article also seems intent on creating a dam-removal controversy where one does not exist. River restoration practitioners – and the conservation groups that we often work with – are […]

I listened to elders and medicine people from over a dozen tribes give testimony to Forest Service Supervisor Nora Rasure, explaining to her why snowmaking with treated wastewater was blasphemy (HCN, 9/17/07). I watched middle-aged men bow their heads as tears streaked their faces. None of that seemed to move Ms. Rasure. She told the […]

Over the years, the Classifieds section has greatly expanded. No problem there – I’m sure it represents needed income for HCN, and the advertising has been an extension of HCN’s mission to report news of Western resource issues. However, I was quite dismayed with the Aug. 20 ad for the sale of an AKC female […]

The article describing the potential use of pumping CO2 underground prompts me to provide an alternative, and perhaps less costly, way of sequestering carbon exhausted from industrial sources (HCN, 9/3/07). I would suggest that the energy producers pump gaseous CO2 through vast transparent vats filled with blue-green algae and nutrients. If the vats were placed […]

Chalk another one up for the cattle industry and beef consumerism (HCN, 8/20/07). Clear mesquite trees to plant buffelgrass for cattle grazing, and clear more trees for mesquite charcoal to cook the cattle. The inverted cycle of life. I seem to have missed where the “good intentions” apply in this story. Was it good intentions […]