FORESTS: Don't fence me out

Regarding the front page article about Bob Balser in The Press: I agree with Bob’s disdain of the trashing and destroying of property regardless of who owns it. Athol has a similar area where all the target shooters think they are doing the next shooter a favor by leaving their cans, milk jugs, refrigerators etc. at the site instead of taking their trash back home or to a Dumpster. However, I don’t agree with Bob’s idea that the reason all the forestry roads are closed is due to these “trasher pigs.” In fact, I think that it is just the opposite.

It is because all of the forestry roads are closed that people have no freedom to roam around and find places to shoot or four wheel drive or just experience what used to be “our” back country. What good is it to live right near beautiful National Forest land if we can’t use it?

The Department of Forestry needs to back off and find some “useful work” instead of just driving around and closing all the roads! I think their name should be changed to the “Department of Road Closures.” All the road closures are also causing elk hunters to congregate in those rare few places where they can get back in to help pack out their game with a vehicle.

This freedom to explore our National Forests was one of the very unique trademarks of North Idaho where a family could get on a dirt bike or Jeep for example and spend an entire day of simply riding the old logging roads and getting to experience the wildlife and beauty of our backcountry. Now we’re “fenced out” of our National Forests and funneled into specific little dedicated trail areas. What gives the Forestry Department the authority to establish our National Forests as “Wilderness Areas” without some formal process and interaction with the public?

JAY MARTIN

Athol