Rockies' greatest value is as tourist lure.

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Author: Haefele, Michelle1

Regarding the April 6 article, "Rocky mountain sigh as slow-lane life speeds up": The challenge for Lake City, Colo., and other special places in the Rockies struggling to grow is to protect the "goose that lays the golden egg" - the beauty of the land.

Much of the land is public and belongs to all Americans: national forests, parks, wildlife refuges, and areas overseen by the US Bureau of Land Management. Once upon a time, it seemed that these lands' main economic value was the copper, trees, oil, and gas that could be extracted. Today, these industries produce less than 4 percent of the income in the Rockies.

The public lands are worth much more as a lure to tourists, retirees, and entrepreneurs whose work can be performed anywhere in this high-tech age. The income that many new residents earn from investments or retirement is fueling growth in high-wage industries such as finance, real estate, healthcare, law, and management. Moreover, many businesses have discovered that the region's scenery and quality of life help them attract a first-rate workforce.

Regrettably, the federal government is promoting too much logging, mining, and oil and gas drilling on our lands. The results include scenic damage, loss of recreational opportunities, air and water pollution, and greater threats to fish and wildlife. This administration should heed the advice of Theodore Roosevelt: "The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value."

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By Michelle Haefele, Denver, Economist, The Wilderness Society