CONSERVATION CORNER   -   Ben Romero Starting with the October meeting which officially opens the 1971-72 DPS season, I will be the Section's Conservation Chairman. This position I accepted at the request of Fran Smith after some deliberation on my part. As the Section's Conservation Chairman, I will keep the Section posted on issues, bills and items that should be of interest to Sierra Club members. We have just returned from a mountain climbing and hiking trip into Colorado and New Mexico. Thus, part of the time was spent climbing alpine peaks and part of the time in the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico. We had a number of conversations with National Park rangers, national forest rangers, national wildlife refuge managers and recreation area users. We have verified the fact that recreation impact on areas outside of California is tremendous. Those in charge of these areas again and again showed great concern on just what the impact means. Great concern was expressed over the indiscriminate use of off-road vehicles. This latter fact should give pause for thought to those in the Sierra Club who are willing to cossett off-road vehicle users in our desert areas. The deplorable conditions and happenings in Yellowstone and Yosemite are plaguing many of the West's other recreation areas though not so widely publicized. Restrictions are forthcoming. Even though it was very warm in the desert we visited in August, we were surprised at the number of visitors and recreation users. Many found the forest and national park campgrounds too crowded and dirty and noisy, so were escaping to the desert -- even in the heat of summer. But the problems that plague the forest campgrounds in the summer are now beginning to plague the desert too. Here too, then, we can expect further restrictions. We can all do a little bit to help the situation by learning as much about desert ecology as we can and then by "spreading the word" by action, deed, and word. We can all help teach people to truly love the desert as a living ecosystem, a delicate and fragile ecosystem that must be preserved for future generations. Hopefully, this year the section will outgrow the immature and childish attitude that if a person wants to help save the desert, that this in some way makes him a "second-class" peak-climber. Perhaps we could look on the DPS-er who loves to climb the peaks and explore the desert enough to become actively involved in conservation with more respect. Climbing and working to protect the desert are not incompatible activities. Rather, they compliment each other. We are gratified to hear that Senator Cranston has introduced a bill to create a Pupfish National Monument and that the Justice Department has issued an injunction on Spring Meadows, Inc. from pumping any more water out of the Ash Meadows region in Nevada, thus prolonging the lives of the pupfish until definite action can be taken. Because of the nature of the members of the DPS and their involvement in conservation. I will confine myself in regards to activities and reports to those involving desert areas. These reports will be given either at the monthly meetings or in the NEWSLETTER. Anything you want to add will be of interest. Send it to me before the paper deadline or meeting.

NEWS

THE PLACE NO ONE KNEW - AGAIN The Uinta Chapter has requested that field meetings be held on the proposed inclusion of the Escalante Wilderness in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Located in Southern Utah, the Escalante is a desert canyon area, which comprises an entire ecological and geological system. Motorized vehicles are a threat to the canyon bottom.

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