Letters April 30, 2008

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

By Planet User

Remembering Wolf #253
I had an opportunity to experience the extraordinary wildlife in Yellowstone in early spring 2002 with the Conservation Alliance. It was an amazing adventure that I will always cherish. Each day, we were treated to a visual array of creatures and their new offspring.

Early one cold morning, we saw the Druid pack moving across the valley floor in a hunting formation. There were approximately 20, with a wide assortment of colors and sizes. I noticed one towards the front of the pack that was “gimpy,” but was moving effortlessly with the others. Approximately 45 minutes later, we were notified by another party, that the pack had surrounded an elk, which was in the river in an effort to prolong the inevitable. Upon our arrival, the wolves dispersed back to the hills. I was able to get one picture of one of the wolves, which just happened to be wolf #253. I learned some of the history of this animal and pack. It was an incredible way to end our trip to this wondrous area.

Later that year, this wolf was captured in Utah, just north of where I was raised. I could hardly believe that he had covered all of that rugged territory during the summer. I will always wonder if he would have established a new pack in that beautiful country, or was just rambling. After his release back to Yellowstone, I heard no more about “the wanderer.”

I was, therefore, very sad to learn that this wolf was the first to be killed with the new regulations in place. This nomad enhanced the landscapes he traveled, and, will always be remembered as an iconic spirit with a heart that knew no boundaries.  
- Andrea Paulsen
Pinedale, Wyo.

Keep Jackson wild
 Why did I choose to move to Jackson, Wyoming?
 It wasn’t the restaurants, it wasn’t the bars, it wasn’t the airport, it wasn’t the hospital, and it wasn’t the school system.

It was the park, it was the forest, it was the wildlife, it was the people who love this environment, and it was the town nestled within and part of the wildlife environment.
Many towns have great restaurants, bars, airports, and schools. What makes Jackson special is how close the town is to public lands and wildlife. Ill-managed growth will negatively impact the balance of public land, wildlife and residents even further. In recent comprehensive plan meetings growth seems to be pushed by the planners. There is an alternative to fast growth. Major growth is not inevitable unless it is approved by our county planners and commissioners.

While I truly appreciate the services that everyone provides, we need to keep the essence of Jackson intact. Jackson is still special. Let’s keep what is special and control growth.  The affordable housing component in the Teton Meadows Ranch proposal only mitigates out its own growth impacts. It doesn’t help our affordable housing situation. Adding a minimum of 1,300 people and 1,000 cars threatens our community values and will spill over onto our public lands. Please include Teton Meadows Ranch in the moratorium or deny it outright.

I’d like to end with my favorite quote, “God Bless Wyoming and Keep it Wild.” - Helen Mettler, age 15, last entry in her diary, died in the Teton County backcountry in 1925.
- Jan Momchilovich
Teton County, Wyo.

Trust in Teton Meadows?
I read with some interest the ads running in the daily paper regarding the motivation of the Housing Trust to support the Teton Meadows Development, and went to their website to learn more. While they have done many good works in the community, these results are obviously from the good people who donate their time and money to providing affordable housing because they want to make this kind of contribution.

Why do they now deviate from their mission to establish a partnership with a developer whose motivation is to make a buck at the expense of community character and one where their interests are not so clearly aligned? So is Save Historic Jackson right? Maybe we should question why a non-profit should receive any part of the private transfer taxes. This is a project that meets none of the true needs of the community, and GAP housing at the price points of the last meeting I attended, is not the answer either.
 - Russell Magarity
Teton County, Wyo.
 
Fix the problem
We can’t complain about property taxes if we don’t ask our federal candidates to repeal second-home interest deductions.
The deductibility of mortgage interest on second homes is a subsidy for the rich that helps push homes, property taxes, and rents beyond our reach.
- Bob Morris
Teton Village, Wyo.

Greening the Tetons
Kudos to Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott and Grand Teton National Park for their Earth Day decision to purchase 100 percent of the park’s energy needs through Lower Valley Energy’s Green Power Program. Arguably one of Wyoming’s most precious jewels, Grand Teton’s decision to purchase Green Power sets a wonderful example for other parks around the country. Through their actions, the park is demonstrating leadership in resource protection, while also taking measurable steps to reduce their carbon footprint and support the development of renewable energy sources in the region, such as wind and solar power.

Like other national parks across the country, Grand Teton faces many threats that are directly and indirectly linked to increased air pollution and global warming. By “going green,” Superintendent Scott is not only helping to protect Grand Teton’s natural resources, but also support regional solutions for our energy needs.
- Sharon Mader, Senior Program     
Manager, Grand Teton Field Office National Parks Conservation Association

CORRECTION:
The Cascade restaurant in the Teton Mountain Lodge is not offering a two-for-one entree special during the off-season, as mistakenly printed in an April 9 article.
PERMALINK:
Letters April 30, 2008 | Planet JH News Article: Letters To Editor

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