I moved to Idaho Falls in 2003 and it only took me a matter of weeks to discover Taylor Mountain and its extensive network of trails and wilderness solitude. Since then I have gone there regularly to escape the suburban sprawl that defines the landscape of the greater Idaho Falls area. I have logged hundreds of miles running those trails. The first few years I would see either moose, mule deers, badger, bear scat, or what looked like bobcat prints on almost every outing. Then the area seemed to be "discovered" by ATVers and the regular sightings dwindled. I am imagining that with a proposed 700 ( or 200) homes going in at the base of the mountain the opportunities to see wildlife will be slim to none.
What we need here is some good old fashioned outrage. Not for potential sewer problems or cost of support, maintenance and schools. Can't we just muster a little popular cry of indignation for the sake of lost habitat, open space, wildlife corridors? Once it is gone, there is no getting it back. Why doesn't that ever seem to matter in this part of the world. Edward Abbey once said, "The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs defenders." What, never heard of Edward Abbey? Ah yes, perhaps therein lies part of the problem.
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I heard that the resolution or whatever it's called to allow this development passed.
Discussing it with other IF residents at Thanksgiving, we all agreed that we didn't know enough about it before the vote - the only article I ever saw was one editorial in the Post Register.
The proposed wind farm in Wolverine was defeated, however - and this was publicized widely. Maybe because people care more about how things look than actually preserving wilderness (since some have argued in the paper that wind farms actually help to preserve wilderness?).
Articles are in the mail to you today.
Now that I think about it, it may be the huge development around the existing country club development that passed. I haven't seen the approval in the paper yet - but I read the public hearing notice down there. It's too bad they won't keep the many miles of existing wide trails back there once the McMansions move in. Ugh. If only we were more progressive!
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