Will the evironment and the last wild places in America survive the Bush Administration? Bush recently revoked the Roadless Area Rule which provided significant protection for the last roadless areas in the U.S. Now the decision to protect or exploit roadless areas falls to local state governments (specifically the governor) and local forest managers. Hopefully local forest managers will protect roadless areas and their pristine states but there is no guarantee that the forest managers won't give in to industry and forget the individual that uses the area for solitude. In Idaho, many of the roadless areas are refuges for wildlife and contain spawning grounds for many of Idaho's endangered and threatened fish species. Big game animals use roadless areas as a resort to escape hunting pressure. In many areas the quality of Big Game herds has diminshed greatly, mostly due to increased access via ATV's.

Will there ever be a place on our planet where a person can reach solitude? Or will we constantly be surrounded by the roar of gasoline powered engines? Will we ever see record big game or a restoration of trout fisheries? With the current pressure from ATV users and the deregulation of roadless areas, there may never again be areas that offer the type of seclusion, and trophy big game and fish, that was enjoyed just ten years ago.

Wouldn't it be great if government actually looked after the best interest of the majority instead of the specific interests of industry? Maybe its a sign of the times - government corruption swayed by big money and little else.