The Problem of Mountain Top Removal and Ignoring Nature

Prior to this post I found an article that touches on the deeper theme of the ideas expressed below.

Communing Without Nature

In participation in the "Blogging for Appalachia Challenge," I wanted to post my position on the dangers of mountain top removal. While there is an immediate impact on the environment, there is also a less discussed impact on our society. To delve deeper I'll tell you a story:

As a teenager, I was a member of the Boys Scouts of America. To be fair, I wasn't the best member of the troop as I spent more time fishing than earning merit badges and climbing the ranks. For me, the most important thing I ever got out of being a member of the Boy Scouts was a respect and love of the outdoors.

We would take frequent camping trips in and around southern New Jersey, and for those of you familiar with the terrain it doesn't get much flatter than it does here. However, about once a year we'd take a trip to the northwestern tip of the state to an area known as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area. The river cuts through part of the Appalachian range and offers beautiful views of nature at its finest.

These yearly adventures consisted of 20-25 mile hikes along New Jersey's portion of the Appalachian Trail. This 2,000+ mile long trail through the Appalachian range barely touches the great "Garden State," but where it does, it offers fantastic views of the low rolling mountains. These trips were often my favorite of the year, and you really had to work hard to pack in and pack out, but it was definitely worth it.

I can't imagine taking a trip like this only to pass views of open mountain valleys scarred by topless mountains.

I'm not a soap-box type of person, but one of the most important goals that I have in life is to get kids outside to enjoy the environment and the outdoors. The more that mountain top removal continues to progress unchecked, the less todays children will get to see and really enjoy.

Something that is truly majestic is climbing to a high point on the mountain and looking out onto the peaks of neighboring mountains or seeing forested valleys cut by rivers. These are the gems of the outdoors, and as mountaintop removal continues, these gems are stolen from us. Fortunately, I've seen many amazing things in my short 28 years, but there are children today that may never get to see what I've seen simply because of the destructive force of strip mining and deforestation.

Here's a picture I took on my first trip to the Appalachian Trail:



I urge you to contact a representative in your area to express your environmental concerns. Don't take the great outdoors for granted, because behind your back some of the greatest scenes in nature are disappearing. When the weather breaks, get the kids outside and start to build the foundation for a wider appreciation of the environment.

To learn more about the problem of Mountain Top Removal check out:

www.stopmountaintopremoval.org