Raven’s View

A Citizen-Times article today discusses a study on spending in national parks with some interesting figures.

“…American taxpayers in 2005 spent $2.6 billion on the National Park System, and the return on their investment was more than $12 billion,” the park service said.

Locally, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park attracted 9.2 million visitors in 2005 who spent� $652 million in surrounding communities and� supported more than 14,000 local jobs.

People want to visit the Smokies because they love beautiful, natural scenery. They come for� hiking trails, pristine trout streams and vast panoramas of undisturbed wilderness.

And they spend a ton of money nearby.

Isn’t this an economic� case for preserving as much public land as possible?

Whatever the state spends on Chimney Rock, for example, we are sure to get back over time…

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We’re more excited than ever about October’s Reel Rock Film Tour after watching the trailer for “First Ascent,” the new flick by Sender Films.

Black Dome Mountain Sports hosts the film tour Oct. 12 at the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company. Tickets will only be sold at the door.

I’m headed to the Southern Energy and Environmental Expo after work today so I can buy advance tickets for their green homes tour.

After going last year, I highly recommend the event to anyone who wants to learn more about environmentally friendly lifestyles. The plethora of seminars cover everything from organic gardening to socially responsible investing. The Clean Air Car Fair has the latest hybirds on display and some other fuel efficient choices. The expo has all kinds of nice stuff, from bamboo floors to solar panels.

But my favorite has to be the Green Home Show, a tour of the coolest, most environmentally friendly homes around Asheville.

Although neither the Forest Service nor Fish and Wildlife have confirmed their presence in Western North Carolina, I know� many people who swear they’ve seen tracks, or at least firmly believe mountain lion roam our hills.

So, just in case you ever witness a mountain lion attack, here’s what to do.

Further illustrating the efficacy of conservancies, the Citizen-Times published an article today on the purchase of some land in the Hickory Nut Gorge. This gorge is also the home of Chimney Rock.

If we all donate $10 to the Carolina Mountain Land� Conservancy, the group mentioned in the article, maybe we could buy Chimney Rock, too.

When you check out CMLC’s Web site, note the purchase price of the Land’s Edge property: 1,568 acres for $16 million. What a departure from the $55 million the Morse family started the auction at with the Chimney Rock property.

The Citizen-Times has run yet another article this morning describing residents’ complaints about a local development, this time regarding the Bartram’s Walk subdivision in Beaverdam. The project will put 117 homes on mountainside 175 acres.

Articles like this always stir some very conflicting feelings in me about quality of life, environmental preservation, private property rights, supply and demand, etc.,…

It also reminded me how important land conservancies are, so I sent $10 to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. If you’re poor like me, the key to donating is to just do it quickly, without thinking too much about how broke you are. If you put it off, you’ll find that no time seems like a good time to part with your money.

If you donate, you can share the credit for all the great stuff the conservancy has bought.

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Flatliners Southeastern Climbing reported the season’s end of climbing� closures at sensitive peregrine nesting habitat.

Here’s an interesting article on the fusion of sports and environmentalism.

Patagonia’s new Capilene recycling program sets the standard for how business should be done. We just received the recycling bins at our Tunnel Road store and put them out on the floor.

If you drop off some old Capilene, you get a cool sticker that says “I changed my underwear for good.” You also get that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes with recycling. Plus, for every piece of Capilene we send back, Patagonia will donate some money to a local non-profit of our choice.

The bins are cardboard boxes that convert into shipping containers when they become full. But that’s not the cleverest thing about Common Threads Garment Recycling, as Patagonia has named the program.

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Yesterday, I promised to elaborate on the reasons why riding the bus is good for the Great Outdoors.

But first, here are three suggestions I’m sending to Asheville Transit:

1. Post schedules on all bus stops.

2. Improve transit Web site.

3. Increase evening service (even more.)

And here are the Top Ten Reasons Why Riding The Bus Is Good For The Great Outdoors:

1. Less air pollution equals bigger, better views in the mountains.

2. Air pollution damages the lungs during athletic activity and increases asthma rates.

3. Acid rain and global warming are killing those really cool spruce-fir forests above 5,000 feet elevation.

4. If we could reverse global warming, skiing and snowboarding would be a lot more fun in the Southeast.

5. Acid rain and urban runoff from automobiles contribute to poor water quality, resulting in fewer, smaller fish for anglers, less wildlife for viewing, and dirtier water for swimmers and boaters.

6. Public transportation decreases traffic, making it easier to get out of town and to the trailhead.

7. With the large amounts of traveling my fellow adventurers and I partake in, we need to make up for our excessive emissions.

8. The more we use public transportation, the better public transportation gets. Imagine if you could load up your mountain bike and head out to Bent Creek on a bus.

9. With the idle time spent on a bus ride, you could plan your next expedition, read a magazine or do finger and forearm strengthening exercises.

10. With the current cost of gas, your fuel savings could buy you new gear.