Letter: Our wilderness needs protection

Wednesday, March 13, 2002 | 8:30 a.m.

As a business supporter of the Citizens' Wilderness Proposal for Southern Nevada, I am compelled to address the misleading tone of Kenneth Freeman's March 1 letter, "Wilderness plan has its bounds."

Mr. Freeman calls Friends of Nevada Wilderness a "radical environmental" group. By what standard are these people radical for wanting to protect our city's backyard wilderness areas? I think most Nevadans want to see more wilderness protection, not less.

We make a living by framing photography and artwork from residents and tourists alike. The special qualities found in our last wilderness lands serve as the inspiration for much of this creative work. From the beautiful canyons of Red Rock to the petroglyphs of the North McCullough's, we need wilderness to preserve the special qualities that attract people to the region in the first place.

I think the Citizens' Wilderness Proposal for Southern Nevada is a well-researched, well-documented effort that does justice to the many wild places that still deserve protection in Southern Nevada. I hope Nevadans will look deeper into the issue than Mr. Freeman's shallow treatment of it allows.

CHRISTOPHER LEE