30 x 30 Not the Answer
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by Jerry G. Schickedanz, Linebery Policy Center for Natural Resources Dean Emeritus, New Mexico State University
assive and catastrophic wildfires in New Mexico dominate the headlines in the newspapers and on TV newscasts. The Calf Canyon-Hermit Peak fire in the Santa Fe National Forest and Pecos Wilderness is the state’s largest in fire history. The Black fire in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness is increasing by tens of thousands of acres daily with very little containment. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed. History, dreams and livelihoods have gone up in smoke West wide wildfire statistics have shown that the fires are getting larger in acreage with fewer fires per year since 1985. Accusations have been quickly pointed at climate change and or a mega drought in New Mexico as being the causes and mismanagement is never considered. A common solution of government and environmental groups is to lockup more land under the guise of conservation. Environmental groups are calling for more protection of lands to counter climate change and federal government proposes to protect 30 percent of the land and water in the United States by the year 2030. The New Mexico Governor evens supports protecting 50 percent of the land and water by 2050. I do not support the protection (nonuse) of more land under a 30 x 30 banner because that is not a solution to what is needed. Let’s look at some of the root causes of the wildfires in the western United States. In 1947 a small black bear was rescued from a wildfire near Capitan, New Mexico, and went on to become Smokey the Bear. He advocated on the nationwide campaign “Only you can prevent forest fires.” This was a very effective strategy to fight all forest fires, but has cast a negative public perception on fire in the forests, whatever the cause. Congress then passed the Wilderness Act of 1964 to preserve and protect pristine land from the people. There were to be no roads, no commercial activity, no motorized vehicles, no logging and in some areas no grazing by livestock. This non-use, no man-
agement has produced a tinder box for intense wildfires. The Black Fire started in the wilderness and has been largely unchecked. The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1974. Its goal was to protect species threatened or endangered from going extinct and to develop a recovery plan to aid in the continued existence of the species. When a species is designated to be protected, critical habitat is determined, and any activity that may harm the species is prohibited. After the Spotted Owl was listed to be protected, commercial logging was prohibited on most forests and the timber industry was lost in New Mexico. These legislative actions, policies, regulations and judicial mandates have contributed to conditions for the west to burn and it will continue until there is no more forests to burn unless something is changed. The timber industry should be given the opportunity to be revived. They should be able to harvest trees that will thin the forest and reduce the extreme fire potential. This would also contribute to the local economies and provide healthy fire resilient forests. The Endangered Species Act should be revisited and look for common sense ways
to protect the endangered species and prevent the need to list new species without total exclusion of activities surrounding them. How many Mexican Spotted Owls or Mexican Wolves have died due to these wildfires? How much habitat for these species and many unlisted species has been destroyed by uncontrollable wildfires? Maybe we should look at incentivizing landowners and managers to provide habitat and of all wildlife species instead of making them a liability. American ingenuity could provide ways to increase the species and their habitat if allowed. There is a need to review the prescribed burn prescriptions to make sure they are followed and not allow someone to light the match when conditions do not dictate that it is safe. Make the federal government liable for not following their own rules and endangering humans, natural resources, and our American heritage. Proper use of prescribed fires can be very useful and effective tool in reducing the fuel loads and wildfire dangers in our forests and communities. Enforce the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and require that an Environment Impact Statement (EIS) be conducted on the 30 x 30 plan to reveal the
JUNE 2022
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