Residents will be real winners if act approved

Wilderness status is the highest protection given to land; only five percent of our national lands are designated wilderness. Congress is authorized to consider wilderness bills by The Wilderness Act of 1964, which defines wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

Wilderness designation, however, does not limit human access (only mechanized access). It does not preclude fighting fires for health and safety with chain saws or any means at the disposal of the Forest Service. Wilderness is managed for big game animals; indeed, hunters prize the trophy opportunities offered by wilderness.

Straddling Idaho and Montana, the majestic area known as the Scotchman Peaks is the watershed for the Clark Fork River and Lake Pend Oreille. Its rugged, geologically-rich landscape of natural forests and meadows supports a host of wildlife. This diverse, wild land overwhelmingly qualifies for wilderness designation.

The call of the wild is an irresistible lure for many, including me, and including future generations. Away from civilization, wilderness provides perspective, sanctuary, and challenge — emotional, spiritual, and physical — and the context in which to define one’s humanity.

Please visit www.scotchmanpeaks.org to learn more. Read about the endorsements offered by city councils, county commissions, chambers of commerce and other organizations. Read the archived newsletters for first-person stories about experiences in the Scotchman Peaks. Choose a hike and visit the Scotchmans.

Scotchman Peaks won’t be the only winner after wilderness designation. We all will be.

LEXIE DE FREMERY

Sagle