"I am glad I shall never be young without wild
country to be young in. Of what avail are forty
freedoms without a blank spot on the map?"--
Aldo Leopold
A child embarks on an adventure. Leaving the
paved streets of a small beach town behind, he
follows a sandy path into the dunes. White mist
swirls atop gold and green grasses. Sunlight
diffuses the shore haze, and a crystalline glow is
everywhere. The pine-ridged head juts out in the
distance like a great watchful god. Breezes whisper
the secrets of the sky, and the waves roll and roll.
This place is magic. This beach is freedom.
The next couple hours are spent studying slugs
and caterpillars, communing with seagulls, and
trekking the quiet hills. As he rounds the foothill of
a dune near the main beach access, the child makes
another discovery: brand new condos.
The unbelievable silence scratches to a stop. It
has been interrupted by this new-born evidence of
the rumors and predictions Clatsop county residents
have heard for some time: wetlands to the north may
be doomed by commercial business parks. More
dune acreage spanning the length of the county might
be sold for condos and beach front homes. Riverside
mileage in Astoria may eventually be forsaken for
hotels and shops. Heck, at this rate it wouldn't be
surprising to see the tentacles of west Portland creep
right over the mountain range within the next twenty
years.
Yes, these are upsetting notions. What is also
disturbing is the number of times I have heard people
say "well, a lot of people don't like it, but it's
inevitable. The bottom line is the folks with the
money are the decision-makers". When 1 hear a
statement like that, fear and confusion well up in my
heart. Are we lower-income citizens supposed to
shrug our shoulders and say it may never happen,
and even if it does, we'll be long gone by then
anyway? Are we anti-progress throwbacks if the
prospect of a snowballing rate of development strikes
fear in our souls? And are reckless dollars what
really control the destiny of the North Coast?
Oregon is one of the greenest states in the nation, a
quality its inhabitants and leaders have traditionally
been proud of. But is the hue of a stack of
greenbacks more enticing than the hue of a pure open
space?
These questions do not necessarily lead to a
100% anti-development stance. They do however
point to a hunch that there is an appropriate time to
step back from the plans of progress. Visions can
get out of control. Think how many places in the US
have begun as idyllic small to mid-size communities.
Then, once the idea of commercial promise has
appeared on the horizon, massive physical growth
has ensued. Some places have already experienced
that fate to the extreme. Los Angeles, California is
the prime west coast example. What was once upon
a time a paradise is now a big city, ridden with the
problems that come with over-building and over
population. Denver, Colorado is experiencing water
problems due to hyper metro-expansion. Resources
are running low. The area's water supply must now
be reconsidered to satisfy the needs of city dwellers,
farmers, and Arizona residents to the south. If a
community caters to throngs of potential residents by
repeatedly slapping up housing in any zoned
"available" land space, people might see that as an
invitation.
Granted, Clatsop county has not approached
these extremes, and can hardly be considered a metro
area. But conscientiousness and preservation on our
current size-scale are necessary to keep this area a
bounty of natural wonders. The past is the past for
other places. But many of us around here are not
convinced that c'est la vie is the most beneficial
attitude for the destiny of our beloved land.
Wetlands, rivers, shores and mountains are our
sanctity. Not only do the few who choose to live
here full-time need these wholesome places, but so
do the visitors who journey here. If they want to
frequent strip malls and view housing complexes,
we're only about a hundred miles from Portland.
People come here because it's away from the din of
an urbanized lifestyle; the natural terrain is welcome
relief. Its balance to the inland city is relaxing for the
spirit.
It could be pointed out that building up the
county means economic improvement in the short-
run. It equals job opportunities, more accessible
accommodation, and more modem draws for
tourists. But there are things that progress of this
kind cannot supply. The long-run beauties of a
pristine shoreline and abundant native wildlife seem
more important to human and planetary well-being.
When the next generation of sons and daughters
heads for the beach, will they see an area respected
and protected, or an area disembodied and tarnished
by their self-centered parents?
Perhaps the ultimate power is not in the influence
of big dollars and progress, but in willpower - the
willpower to see past the material rewards and
comforts that could be ours today, to the bright and
shining wild land that is everyone's tomorrow. The
most satisfying riches we can have as US residents
are in undisturbed natural spaces. Aldo Leopold
said: "Man always kills the things he loves, and so
we pioneers have killed our wilderness". But we
haven't killed all of it. We have the choice to save
our remaining open lands and let them live. You can
call your local city hall or the county planning office
(325-8611) to find out when planning commission
meetings are happening. They are open meetings
wherein zoning and building issues are discussed.
Also, there is much literature and other venues of
study are available about alternative methods of
housing that are minimally intrusive to our natural
environment.
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