Whalen's Wanderings

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

I know I said I was going to write about gear choices in my last article, but I am compelled to write about something more pressing.

I have to comment on the unfortunate events that occurred over the May long weekend. As you may already know, a forest fire has damaged one of the recreation hot spots in Kings County. I feel it important, since I have wrote about this location in my past articles, that I address the fire on the Bluff in Sussex Corner. Just a warning, I am going to show no mercy here, to those responsible for this irresponsible blunder.

Thanks to a quick response by our local firefighters, the Department of Natural Resources, and many others, in the early morning hours, the loss of valuable timber and natural resources for these landowners was kept to a minimum. We all owe you folks a big thanks. Despite these great efforts, a scar is still noticeable on the Bluff, one that should serve to all as a reminder.

The Bluff in Sussex Corner is owned by a number of landowners. It is not public land. With one idiotic, brainless, reckless move, those responsible for starting this fire have jeopardized the free access to the Bluff.

I would not blame the landowners if they chose to fence off the access to the Bluff to protect their land, nor can anyone else. I would much rather be able to view its rugged, sparsely-treed face from a distance than have it scarred and charred by a few inconsiderate individuals.

I have been to the Bluff many times and never have I felt it necessary to start a fire. I have never camped on the Bluff, nor have I ever felt it necessary to.

The Bluff is a poor place to camp for one important reason; there is no water up there for drinking. The Bluff is also a poor place to have a fire for one important reason; there is no water up there to put out a fire. Not only that, there is no dirt around to smother a fire when you are done with it.

There are many, more suitable areas within a short distance to go camping and they all have a water source and likely a much more suitable location for a fire. If you plan on being that inconsiderate though, why not just light the fire in your own backyard, but remember to keep that water hose handy.

Maybe the time has come to look at protecting the Bluff somehow. I know the Nature Conservancy of Canada has expressed interest in some of the properties in the past. The area contains some rare bryophytes, flora, and tree species that they would like to protect, and the geology and topography make the site ecologically sensitive and diverse.

Maybe it would be a good idea to regulate the number of people that can travel the trail corridor and set up a user-pay system so the land is maintained and the wonderful view scape of the Dutch Valley stays intact.

I for one would much rather some restrictions and regulations as opposed to having the area closed off altogether, especially if the landowners were compensated appropriately for their lasting dedication to maintaining such a wonderful wilderness area.

For those responsible, I hope you have learned a valuable lesson. These are just my opinions and thoughts on the topic. I too enjoy a campfire but please be responsible about where and when you light your fires.

In my next column I will get back to some gear tales and advice. See you in the woods or on the water.

Ben Whalen is an avid backpacker, adventurer, and environmentalist, who loves the natural areas in and around Kings County. If you have a suggestion for an article or would like to join him on a hike contact him at benwhalen@hotmail.com.