Correcting misinformation in political ad

To the editor:

A political ad ran in the Western News last week with remarkably false information. The ad encouraged me to remind all readers of a few key facts about Wilderness areas.

As the many visitors to our beautiful Cabinet Mountains Wilderness are aware, wilderness areas are wide open to all people and to a variety of uses, including hunting, fishing, horse packing, camping and berry picking.

There are no fences or locked gates at the edge of the Cabinet Wilderness, or other protected wilderness areas. Motorized vehicles are not allowed in wilderness, but since no passable roads exist in wilderness areas, anyone can walk or ride a horse in without encountering any gates.

There is something special about spending time in wilderness, something uplifting and also reassuring – that our natural world is such a beautiful and vibrant place, an important contrast to our busy and noisy modern world.

Let’s not let misinformation interfere with our pride and appreciation in our precious wilderness areas, protected so they may be enjoyed by future generations as we enjoy them today.

—Doug Ferrell,

Trout Creek