"Big Hiking" Enters the Ring

USA Today reports that the outdoor recreation industry has begun to throw its "economic and political weight around," opposing, among other things, roadbuilding in state and federal wilderness areas. Reading between the lines slightly, it looks as though part of the impetus for the roadbuilding is to preempt Congressional designs to establish "permanent wilderness protection," which would preclude future development. I wonder if "follow-the-money" types are going to start accusing environmentalist politicians of being "in REI's pocket?"

Sadly, this new bit of nakedly self-interested lobbying is probably a good thing on net, in that it at least counterbalances the equally nakedly self interested lobbying of timber companies. Lots of roads on federal land constitute little more than a massive subsidy to the logging industry, since the roads built on the taxpayer's dime often cost more than the value of the timber to which they grant access.