Dave Pieper, Bismarck, column: Badlands wilderness plan needs North Dakotans’ support
September 12, 2012 at 7:05 pm in Grand Forks Herald
The North Dakota congressional delegation and governor need to step up now and lead the effort to protect these lands for this and future generations. Continue Reading
no, I for one oppose wilderness designation
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There was not 500,000 acres of road less at the time it was so identified. They ignored the trails (roads) through much of that area because they were not built up. There was some, but not much road less area where it was just too rough.
The roads were established under state law through long term usage. The Feds seem to think when they got the land back, that those roads were only there through their decisions and could be closed and pretended they did not exist and fine people a lot for trying to use them.
When confronted they backed off to the extent of basically stopping the closing plan.
Their wanting to close already existing roads is much of the push that now is forcing the hands of the counties to enforce their road easements on section lines. This was granted by the federal government at the time of statehood and the fed has no right or business arbitrarily ignoring the easement. While the easements are narrow for modern roads, there is no question though that one can travel within that easement.
Thing is, it would do less damage to allow reasonable meandering to protect the fragile land. There are many good reason the trails were not in straight lines on section lines not the least of which is following the section line often results in more erosion.
You can see the same thing all over the country. Places that aren’t roadless being declared roadless.
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