It’s the jewel of Arizona:  A spot of Switzerland on the Eastern border.  At 8,000 feet, Alpine is a hamlet, surrounded by U.S. Forest in the Apache/Sitgreaves District.  Lush, beckoning and priceless.

In early November, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was harvested in this very forest.  It’s a beauty. 

High, along the Southeast rim of the Alpine Valley is one of many country roads, providing the young, old and disabled opportunity to commune with raw nature.  Few can walk it.  Motors are needed to get us in and out.

On both ends of this stretch of rough road are gates, installed by the U.S. Forest Service; poised to block out motorized vehicles.  Hundreds of thousands of such roads are targeted across the nation.  And you should see the fine print in regards to hunting, fishing.

You think America is in danger from outside enemies?  You fear the so called One World Order; the end of the American dollar?  It gets worse from here.

American human species are threatened by attacks against our habitats of survival; land which historically has supported American families.  Overstated?  Look carefully. 

In a time of deep recession, a time millions of jobless Americans frantically seek ways to feed their families, billions of dollars, generated by the outdoor industry, will disappear.

Arizona Fish and Game reports, fishing and hunting is a “powerful part of Arizona’s economic fabric,” offering thousands of jobs, millions in tax revenues and billions in retail sales.

Arizona State University research concurs.  It finds the economic impact of back country driving, alone, provides Arizona $4 billion annually; more than a billion in household income through some 37,000 jobs.

Yeah.  Let’s close these forests and desert areas.  This is really a good time in our history to be brainless.

Those fighting the “Travel Management Rule” (TMR) implementation and its integration into a larger “Forest Plan Revision” (FPR), say more than two-thirds of America’s back country roads are registered for closure.  Expect vacationing families to be funneled into confined camp spaces, manned by toll gates, just like in Yosemite.

Despite the fact that the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco has twice stopped the Forest Plan Revision, (latest ruling June 2009), the FPR, which will govern citizen access to millions of acres, is still targeted to be fulfilled. 

Watch this group of White Mountain residents:  Citizens for Multiple Land Use and Access (www.cmlua.com), was formed three years ago to take on an out of control green movement.  Its Web site gives important documentation and maps.   So far, they’ve been amazingly successful in shining light on the illegality of many such schemes.

One of the founders, Doyel Shamley says:  “Recreation is not just a matter of some sick individual slaughtering Bambi.  It’s important to the very fabric of society; it’s how we recreate and generate revenue through trickle-down economics.”

He’s right.  Locks and gates aimed at eliminating a minuscule number who damage open spaces is more irrational than any criminal vandal.  It’s insulting.   There’s something sinister, narrow minded, about locking Americans away from their land. Instead, why not embrace better, honest environmental education?  Enlightenment works.

Education is the goal of CMLUA in order to stir Americans; awaken them to the land grab.  Shamley says 7 percent of patriots fought in the Revolutionary War, “taking on the greatest empire ever set on earth – and the patriots won.”  Hungry Arizonans must take note and vigorously work to preserve this industry by promoting pristine open spaces, where all are welcome.  You know what to do.

 

Linda Turley-Hansen is a syndicated columnist and former veteran Phoenix television news anchorwoman who lives in the East Valley. Her column appears monthly. She can be reached by e-mail at turleyhansen@gmail.com.