Preserving Yellowstone
In Yellowstone alone, “more than 60,000 snowmobiles zoom” through the park (Bluewater). According to Bluewater Network, an association for the protection of land, water, and air, “most snowmobiles are powered by two-stroke engines, which dump 25-30% of their fuel unburned out the tailpipe.” Air pollution is so bad in Yellowstone now, workers have to wear respirators to protect themselves. Also, snowmobiles produce a very loud noise-which, studies show, can be heard 90% of the time in Yellowstone (Bluewater). A third problem that comes about from allowing snowmobile use in the park is that it’s driving out many of the animals that make Yellowstone their home.
Bluewater Network has been leading efforts to ban snowmobiles from all National Parks and public lands. They do so to preserve what National Parks are all about-“to protect and preserve our wild heritage for the enjoyment for future generations.”
Yellowstone has restricted some areas from being used by snowmobile riders, however, some people continue to cross the line and ride their anyway. According to Yellowstone Press releases, a couple people found trespassing the snowmobile boundaries were arrested for doing so.
The decision to set strict limits on both the emissions and numbers of snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks was signed on March 25th, by Karen Wade, director of the Intermountain Region of the National Park Service. Previously referred to as the Record of Decision (ROD), the document ends years of planning efforts to determine how these parks should be visited in the winter.
“This plan will ban the old, two-stroke snowmobiles from these parks in favor of new, quieter machines that cut pollution by 90 percent,” Wade said. “This plan has a number of firsts: For the first time, it will require guides for snowmobiles in order to protect wildlife; for the first time it will closely monitor the effects of snowmobiles on the parks; and for the first time it will set strict daily limits on the number of snowmobiles allowed in the parks” (Yellowstone Press Release).
Elements of this document include: “reducing the numbers of snowmobiles through daily limits, implementing best available technology requirements for snowmobiles, and implementing an adaptive management program that will look at short and long-term effects of management actions and implement necessary changes” (Yellowstone Press Release).
Yellowstone plans on introducing the changes over the next two winters. Such changes will include limiting the number of snowmobiles allowed into the park on a daily basis, and in Yellowstone particularly, allowing snowmobiles in only by prior reservation. They will also begin having commercially guided snowmobile tours, so people will have to stay within certain areas of the park.
I think the park authorities are handling this situation well. They recognized the problem-especially with groups like Bluewater protesting the pollution aspect-and quickly made progress to correct it. National Parks are truly a place people go to witness nature in its purest form, and if people are polluting that and destroying the natural habitat of animals and other wildlife, then we don’t have anywhere that is “naturally sacred.” The Park authorities are also in the right to arrest people who violate the new sanctions placed on the park. People need to understand and respect what the park is all about and that there is a reason for these rules to be implemented. Hopefully, the new implementations will go into effect soon (this winter) and stick, so that no more of this park will be ruined.
