Fewer Hikers = Dwindling Support for Conservation

[bcskier]

For the "what it's worth department":

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201352.htm

 

[Snowflea]

Well now I know the term for that condition: "videophilia"

Very sad. Ken Burns discusses "videophilia" in a recent Backpacker interview. (I could not find it online, hence no link.)

"As a culture, we are at a hugely critical existential moment, one where people are suspended between being and doing--especially our children--because of this virtual world that we have created. People are just too distracted by their Blackberries and Facebook. We need to make it a lot easier for families to take camping trips. If we don't, you will find that backpackers are not a big enough constituency to resist the acquisitive and extractive interests."

Which is why I love seeing folks out there, even if they're wearing "jeans and sneakers."

 

[rhihn]

Well now I know the term for that condition: "videophilia"

Very sad. Ken Burns discusses "videophilia" in a recent Backpacker interview. (I could not find it online, hence no link.)



Which is why I love seeing folks out there, even if they're wearing "jeans and sneakers."

I couldn't find it either, but found these related links:

CBS interview with Jon Dorn:
http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/section/C29/29
Discussion:
http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/006602.html
Videophilia.org interview:
http://www.videophilia.org/children___nature.html
dissertation abstract:
http://www.pnas.org/content/105/7/2295.abstract

 

[DSettahr]

While I was at school, we learned about studies that showed that many people who never actually visit wilderness areas or use them still like to know that they are there, and that they are part of a society that places values on conservation and preservation. This would seem to contradict that...

 

[RoySwkr]

While I was at school, we learned about studies that showed that many people who never actually visit wilderness areas or use them still like to know that they are there, and that they are part of a society that places values on conservation and preservation. This would seem to contradict that...

I think the studies are definitely true, but unless the number of armchair supporters grows faster than the number of active users declines there is still a deficit of support.

And as we have seen in the Pemi bridge case, hikers may be better off if there are fewer armchair advocates who actively want amenities removed than if the couch potatoes render no opinion.

 

[RollingRock]

This is so true! I have a growing fear that the National Forest's trend in doing less for trails that lie in designated wilderness areas [not replacing broken bridges, not allowing the creation of new trails like Owl's Head, not maintaining trail blazes on trails, etc.] will hurt National Forest's in the long run!

 

[Little Rickie]

That's all the more reason we need to get our youth involved in Scouting.