This could be a much better organization. Traditionally, it has focused solely on protecting the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument here in Montana, and avoided straying into divisive social issues. Excellent! And it does quite a lot of good work on the ground in the Breaks. But it has so far resisted suggestions that it tackle the Elephant in the Room: that increased visitation to the monument is putting the wild nature of the Breaks at risk. I fear that this is because the organization gets support from commercial river outfitters and guides (and some outfitters and guides may be on the board of directors). The organization should consider supporting new BLM rules that would decrease the size of floating parties and ration river use through a lottery system like the one that is in place on the Smith River.
41 Pageviews Read Stories