Statements about the Desert Environment

Fact or Fiction
By Monte Wells

This article will address two things; first, we will cover several common statements that
are made by environmental groups and federal agencies concerning the desert
environment. Second, I will demonstrate how the public is being misguided when it
comes to environmental issues, not only by environmental groups, but by agencies that
are suppose to work for the public and protect the publics interest. I will attempt to shed
new light on the issue and present factual data to support my conclusions. All I ask is
that you take the time to think outside the box and look at the entire picture before
drawing your own conclusions.

The following are two common environmental statements:

DESERT ECOSYSTEMS: The desert landscape is what people typically think of when
they envision canyon country. The region is characterized by extreme temperatures
(from below zero to 115 F +) and small amounts of precipitation. Because of the harsh
climate, plants grow very slowly; sometimes a three foot tree can be hundreds of years
old. Slower growing times means that it often takes many years for impacted areas to
recover.

CRYPTOBIOTIC SOILS: Nowhere is the slow recovery time more evident than in
the life cycle of cryptobiotic soils. This plant community also known as microbiotic crust
or cryptogamic soil represents algae, cynobacteria, mosses, lichen, fungi and bacteria
living together in a symbiotic relationship. Although it may look like dirty sand
“cryptos” form an essential component to the desert ecosystem. They hold precious
water in the soil, prevent erosion and release nitrogen into the nutrient poor soil. Cryptos
grow slowly, so slowly that an errant footstep or tread mark can take many decades to
grow back. When in an area without marked trails always travel across rock or sandy
washes to avoid the crust.

Are these
statements fact or
fiction?

The following is
our analysis of the
above statements.

(Statement) Slow
recovery time of
the Desert
Ecosystem: The
following photos
show a campsite

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that we used for 18 months under a special use permit until someone vandalized it by
burning down the Teepee. You will notice in the first photo that there is no cryptogamic
soil anywhere and the vegetation minimal.

Photo number two was taken 8 years later of the same area. You will notice mature
cryptogamic soil all over the area. The vegetation is back and the yucca plants have
grown quite a bit. This amount of growth and recovery took place during several years of
drought.

This photo clearly drives the issue home even further and was taken at the same time as
the above photo. Notice all the Cryptos and vegetation growth.

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The below photo was taken in 2008 of the same area. Notice the decline and size
reduction of the cryptos due to drought. Can you spot the ATV tire track?

(Statement)
Cryptogamic soil
prevents erosion:

The desert of southern

Utah has been created
and shaped by erosion.
The erosion process
shaped the deserts into
what we see today as it
will continue to in the
future. This is evident
every winter and every
rain storm. I have seen
heavy rains totally
destroy cryptogamic soil in a short time, which leads me to believe that cryptogamic soil
does very little to protect from erosion. However, it does play a role in the germination
of plant seeds.

Despite its role in germination of plant seeds, one must remember that cryptogamic soil is
only found in certain types of soil and certain elevations within the desert environment.
This alone dispels the claim that this soil is the glue that holds the desert together.

Conclusion: The above photos clearly demonstrate that it doesn’t take cryptogamic soil
that long to recover from heavy use. It takes even less time to recover from foot steps and
single tire tracks. The above tire track in the photo demonstrates this fact very clearly,
and that even during drought stricken year’s crypto recovers far better than the
environmental groups would want you to know about.

It is clear that the environmental movement has not presented all the facts about the
desert ecosystem and the cryptogamic soil. Most of what is being presented to the
public by these groups and the National Park Service is not accurate. The original two
statements are FICTION and are not supported by facts.

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The following are several other common environmental statements:

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SITES: There are numerous reminders

of past peoples and cultures found throughout the canyon country. The cultures
represented include the Desert Archaic, Anasazi, Fremont, Navajo, Ute, Spanish and
historic American Cultures. Hunters, farmers, riders, outlaws, missionaries, and settlers
have all left evidence of their occupation and visits to the area. Rock art, both
petroglyphs and pictographs, ruins, relics, structures and inscription can be found
everywhere within canyon country. Exploring these prehistoric and historic sites can be a
fascinating experience, but great care must be taken so that these elements of our heritage
remain intact.

ROCK ART SITES: When visiting rock art sites do not touch the art work because oils
from your hand can damage the site. Feel free to photograph the panel but do not chalk,
re-paint, make etchings or outline the figures. Never deface rock art; this includes
writing your name or adding your own “art”. Not only is this illegal but is disrespectful
to other cultures.

RUINS AND STRUCTURES: Few things are more stirring than visiting an ancient
Anasazi ruin or a long forgotten cowboy camp. When visiting these structures be careful
where you walk as you may be stepping on valuable artifacts. Never lean against the
walls or roofs. Though they have often stood for centuries, they still can be destroyed by
thoughtless actions. Never camp or build fire near or within the structure.

The above statements appear to be trying to educate the public on proper site visitations
behavior. These statements are putting out some good information on how to enjoy the
archaeological history in the area. My degree is in Anthropology/Archaeology and I
believe that educating the public as to how to treat these areas is a better method of
protection than prohibiting the visitation of such sites.

The thing I find interesting with the above statements is that they would lead you to
believe that the publisher (environmental groups & federal government) is focused on
protecting our past. This just isn’t true because these same groups are destroying our right
to use public lands which in turn erases our history, and strips millions of citizens of the
right to use or visit these public lands.

One way this is happening is by slowly removing our history from the publics view by
area and road closures, the eradication of historical mining sites, etc. To simplify things
we will say there are two different methods that are used to destroy our historical history
and strip us of the right to enjoy are public lands.

• One is done by federal our federal agencies cowering to the pressures of the
environmental groups, which in turn allow these agencies to pass stricter RMPS,
create Wild and Scenic Rivers areas, Wilderness Study Areas, etc.
• The other method is done behind closed doors where only a few people will be
aware of what is going on. We saw this during the Clinton administration when

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 Clinton stole thousands of acres of land from the public by Presidential
Proclamation with the dedication of Grand Staircase National Monument,
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. We also see this in the federal land
use agencies policy to eradicate the majority of historical mining, homesteads,
logging sites, and the closure of backcountry roads.

The eradication policy first came to my attention as a young man in Idaho where the
forest service was burning and destroying the majority of all the old homesteads on the
Salmon River. They were also forcing some old timers to leave their lands, closing
roads, and shutting down all placer mining on the tributaries of the Salmon River. As a
result of these actions a major part of the history in Idaho was being lost.

By closing the roads, burning the mines and homesteads they have erased that part of our
history. Since the public couldn’t use the roads, or visit the old mines, this part of history
will soon disappear with the death of those people that new about the history. Eventually
the public would never even know what had been taken from them.

Now it is happening here in San Juan County, Utah. Over the last few years the Manti La
Sal National Forest has removed, buried, destroyed, and caved in the majority of the old
mines and miners cabins, tank trapped old roads and trails, and destroyed old mining
equipment that was left over from the big mining boom of the 40’s and 50’s. They even
attempted to destroy one mine in South Cottonwood that they had no legal right to
destroy. Needless to say, they had to make things right with the mine owner. These
sites clearly fall within the fifty year historical classification, yet the government is
erasing this valuable history forever with the support of the environmental movement.

It’s not just the Forest Service, but it is also the BLM. They have stretched the 1964
Wilderness Act beyond its borders and have created new doctrine to close public lands
that have historical value. By closing these old mining and logging roads they have
effectively destroyed that part of our history. These old roads and trails are as much a
part of the historical record as an old cabin, mine, steam engine, etc. Once these trails
and roads are closed they will soon be forgotten and reclaimed by the environment that
they are located in and lost to future generations.

The reality of it all is that we would not be enjoying the backcountry if it weren’t for the
miners, ranchers, and loggers that pushed these roads in and made it possible for us to
access these remote areas. There would be no one going into Canyonlands National Park
to drive Elephant Hill or hike to Druid Arch if it wasn’t for the Cowboys and jeepers like
Kent Frost.

When you look at the whole picture of what the environmental movement is doing to our
lands you will realize the valuable historical history that is being lost because of this
movement. Not only are we losing our history, the right of thousands of United States
Citizens is being taken away from them by these closures. The citizens that I’m referring
to are the elderly and the handicap. These road and trail closures affect a large percent of

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the US population and discriminate against this population of people because of their age
and being disabled.

How many elderly people are we talking about? In 2000, 42.3% of the population was
between the age of 40 and 95.

How many people have disabilities?

Specific Disabilities

According to a report titled “Americans With Disabilities: 1997,” based on the Survey of
Income and Program Participation, among people 15 and over in 1997:

• 25 million had difficulty walking a quarter mile or climbing a flight of 10 stairs,

or used an ambulatory aid, such as a wheelchair (2.2 million) or a cane, crutches
or a walker (6.4 million).

• About 18 million had difficulty lifting and carrying a 10-pound bag of groceries
or grasping small objects.

• About 14.3 million had a mental disability, including 1.9 million with
Alzheimer’s disease, senility or dementia; and 3.5 million with learning
disabilities.

• About 8.0 million had difficulty hearing what was said in a normal conversation
with another person (even when wearing a hearing aid); of these, 800,000 were
unable to hear what was said in a normal conversation.

• About 7.7 million had difficulty seeing the words and letters in ordinary
newspaper print (even with glasses); of these, 1.8 million were unable to see
words and letters in ordinary newspaper print.

How many of the above citizens could access their public lands under their own power?
How many would need help via jeep, ATV, or other vehicle? I dare say with the disabled
and elderly statistics that over 50% of our citizens are being locked out of their public
lands and denied the right to enjoy the history of this great nation.

Along with millions of people being discriminated against by the federal land agencies
and all the environmental groups in our nations, these same groups are prohibiting the
exploration for oil and gas in the United States. This affects every person in the United
States through higher oil and gas prices, which in turn affects everything in our economy.

All transportation cost increases which are passed on to the consumer through rising
consumer prices on all goods and services. These higher prices really have devastating
affects on the lower and middle class citizens in this country. It also ensures the US
involvement in protecting these foreign resources with our military. Anyway that you

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look at it this policy to prohibit oil and gas exploration is detrimental to the welfare and
security of this country.

Conclusion

It is my opinion that these environmental groups, agencies, and anyone else that would
lock up our public lands, prohibit citizen use, prohibit oil and gas exploration are truly
enemies of freedom and the United States. These entities are clearly destroying the very
foundation of this country and what it was founded on.