Sunset on Mars - Out West: Day 5
Out of everything on this trip, and usually, on most trips, what I look forward to the most is an experience with pure wilderness. On this trip, that came in the form of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument and White Pocket.
Coincidentally, it’s also the Bureau of Land Management’s anniversary, today. The BLM is under The Department of the Interior, but is managed differently than The National Park Service. With this in mind, public land usage on BLM land can include grazing, fracking, mining, and could even be sold off by the federal government, which is currently a possibility. On the anniversary of this arm of The Department of The Interior, it’s an apt time to remember what their mission statement is: “to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.”
To me, that reads no differently than 1916 Organic Act that created The National Park Service and protects the wonders of the American landscape. And when you consider places like White Pocket, nestled in the wilderness of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, it should be apparent that no matter what branch of Interior is caring for it, the importance of saving and protecting these landscapes is paramount.
Buried deep in the wilderness of Arizona and down wild dirt roads that require a 4×4, White Pocket is a surreal and ethereal wonderland of carved and sculptural sandstone, stretching and undulating almost as far as the eye can see. It’s impossible to go to this amazing place and not be spellbound and to not let your imagination wander and try and make sense of the exquisite colors and textures at your feet. Places like this are a gift and a challenge. This is what is so vital and what needs to be protected at all costs.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR. Speak up and defend what is yours.
Sunset on Mars - Out West: Day 5
Out of everything on this trip, and usually, on most trips, what I look forward to the most is an experience with pure wilderness. On this trip, that came in the form of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument and White Pocket.
Coincidentally, it’s also the Bureau of Land Management’s anniversary, today. The BLM is under The Department of the Interior, but is managed differently than The National Park Service. With this in mind, public land usage on BLM land can include grazing, fracking, mining, and could even be sold off by the federal government, which is currently a possibility. On the anniversary of this arm of The Department of The Interior, it’s an apt time to remember what their mission statement is: “to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.”
To me, that reads no differently than 1916 Organic Act that created The National Park Service and protects the wonders of the American landscape. And when you consider places like White Pocket, nestled in the wilderness of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, it should be apparent that no matter what branch of Interior is caring for it, the importance of saving and protecting these landscapes is paramount.
Buried deep in the wilderness of Arizona and down wild dirt roads that require a 4×4, White Pocket is a surreal and ethereal wonderland of carved and sculptural sandstone, stretching and undulating almost as far as the eye can see. It’s impossible to go to this amazing place and not be spellbound and to not let your imagination wander and try and make sense of the exquisite colors and textures at your feet. Places like this are a gift and a challenge. This is what is so vital and what needs to be protected at all costs.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR. Speak up and defend what is yours.