Letters to the Editor

To the editor,

Your “Third Wave Environmentalism” article is irrational and filled with conceit. Where did you get the idea that people and businesses, like cattle grazing, have a right to pollute and should be paid not to do so? I suggest you trade your trendy ideology for some common sense.

— CSV, Kansas City

Thank you for taking the time to write to us. We are working towards maintaining the water quality of the Buffalo River and towards promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the surrounding watershed. I assume you agree with those goals.

You disagree with our methods, however, because we pay polluters to stop polluting. Yes, we do, and the primary reason we chose that approach is because it works. The people of northern Arkansas are politically conservative and predominantly anti-environmentalist. If we were to try to use government to enforce additional environmental regulations, or if we were to try to persuade people to act sustainably for its own sake, we would fail to achieve our goals. By paying polluters, their interests become the same as ours. Our goals might then be achieved despite the philosophical and political opposition in the region.

Regarding rights, yes, we do act as if people have the “right” to pollute. We would like landowners to act responsibly, but it’s their land, and their river. Residents of the Buffalo watershed will always remind us that they have the right to do as they please and that we have no right to tell them otherwise, and we respect their rights deeply. By acting out of respect for their rights, we can work together toward responsible land management. — Ed.

Oct. 16, 1995
To The Steward:

I recently came across your Home Page while surfing on the Internet. I did a search of the “Buffalo River” and read your literature with great pleasure. I did a “Buffalo River” search because I was day dreaming about that piece of paradise. I use to work out of Fort Smith, Ark., and would regularly camp, canoe, and hike the breath-taking river valley. I remember the first time I saw photos of the river in a National Parks hard back book. I have always been close to nature, but the Buffalo took my heart. I’ve since moved away, spent time in Alaska, and now live here in Scotland.

A couple of years ago I bought a piece of property on Cave Creek about 5 miles from the Buffalo. I own about 125 acres, between 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile of creek frontage. I don’t now if you’re familiar with the cave creek but it’s close to the Gene Rush wilderness area. You probably know where Sycamore Hollow and Sycamore Lake are; Sycamore Hollow Creek flows right into Cave Creek at the upstream boundary of my property. The topography of the land is similar to a bowl, about 30 acres of bottom land, currently containing hay, surrounded by bluffs.

Anyway as you can see this is why I’m very interested in BRSF, the “Watershed Council,” and the conservation easement program. I very much enjoyed hearing about student involvement in learning to respect the bounty they so fortunately inherited. I have an open mind to any ideas about the best environmental and social use of the land that I plan to steward for the rest of my life.

In harmony with nature....
— JF, Aberdeen, Scotland

To the Steward,

Next week, a friend and I will hike the Buffalo headwaters country above Boxley, then stay one night at Tyler Bend and finally visit Bull Shoals.

Since we enjoy the Buffalo region top-to-bottom, please accept my thanks for the premier issue of The Steward. Every article in it is of interest: I’ve heard Gregg Galbraith speak on his Ozark Regional Land Trust as mentioned in Tim O’Reilly’s article; I first learned of W.E.T. at the Heartwood Conference held in spring 1994 near Murray in Newton County. There, we presented information on the Missouri Stream Team concept.

I’m now pleased to inform you that our many Stream Teams in the White River watershed have formed an association which will meet with the support of Bass Pro Shops to promote clean water in Southwest Missouri. You may have heard that the State of Missouri has begun promoting public stream conservation by watershed via Stream Team Networks. I hope we can implement many concepts presented in The Steward throughout the White River region.

Cordially,
Frank H. Schmidt
Ozark Mountain Paddlers
Branson West, MO