With a blink, Christmas has passed once again. I always find it amazing how much work goes into making Christmas a family success and I unabashedly admit, mostly by my wife. It is the sharing of joy and each other’s company that truly lights up the tree or agave stalk. It is being thankful for what we have in our lives, not as a hoarder but as one who truly enjoys each piece of their life. Good and bad, they are all important pieces to acknowledge.
As I thankfully inhale the wintery fragrance of wood smoke and chill and head out into the wintery hills, two key Aldo Leopold quotes come to mind. The first comes from the introduction to his conservation classic book, A Sand County Almanac. He comments that we all look upon the land from different viewpoints, “but, wherever the truth may lie, this much is crystal clear: our bigger and better society is much like a hypochondriac, so obsessed with its own economic health as to have lost the capacity to remain healthy. Nothing could be more salutary at this stage than a little healthy contempt for a plethora of material blessings.”
I mull over this quote as I am recovering from material blessing bombardment. I look around me and realize that I have been most fortunate in this lifetime. I never wanted for food, clothing or shelter while growing up, nor for love. I was able to go to school and eventually graduate from college. I had a creative and successful career, accumulating many “things” along the way. I am grateful for my fortune.
A few weeks back, I was driving through one of our local towns and was stunned by the number of homeless people at the street corners and crossing streets amidst traffic while pushing a shopping cart full of their worldly belongings. All they owned most likely fitting into that cart. I thought about where they live, what they eat, what dreams they still entertain, what the road to where they are today looked like, what hope for better still lights up their eyes or are they content? It is a different world from mine but that does not mean I can ignore them or feel superior. I am not BETTER THAN THEM, just way more fortunate.
Our society today seems to be splitting into distinctive parts. One part is very concerned with all living things, big or small. We have compassion and love for the land. Not our land for we are merely stewards for the land at this time. I have occasionally touched upon my abhorrence for the second part, those who entertain the Aires of betterment. Does this arise from a deep hole in oneself? A denial of reality which results in pounding on one’s chest in your very best bullying manner? Perhaps as we move from 2023 to 2024, this would be a fine time to look inward instead of lashing out at others with your self-evident beliefs.
We are just humans. We are merely one portion of the evolutionary wheel of life on this planet, as Leopold says, “Just a member of the community, not self-appointed ruler of.” A quote from Stephen Fox’s book, The American Conservation Movement – John Muir and His Legacy, has John Muir escaping from the rigors and harsh judgements of his father’s Christian beliefs. As he wanders through the wilds of Florida in 1867, he observes the harmony of the non-human life around him. “They tell us,” he says, admiring a palm tree, “that plants are not like man immortal but are perishable, soulless. I think that this is something that we KNOW exactly nothing about.” He also says, “How narrow we selfish, conceited creatures are in our sympathies! How blind to the rights of all the rest of creation!”
When you walk out in the natural world for even a short immersion, you will find those human imposed barriers to global community falling to the wayside. They are not sustainable because they are not real. We are not better than others in our communities, we just assume different roles. Dictator is not a role that natures accepts for long.
Here in Kingston, we have lived for nine months in the presence of a self-appointed god. Because of money and old mining claims, he has proclaimed dominance over the lands west of our town. Only his approved friends are given keys to enter the public lands that lie to the west of his locked gate. The US Forest Service has turned a blind eye to their responsibility as Stewards of the Forest. They have allowed the tyrant to dole out his favors while the majority of the public is barred from enjoying the public lands that have been enjoyed by many for over 100 years.
He says he wishes only for respect. Well, he obviously failed to listen somewhere back in his earlier moments to that bit of wisdom that said: One earns respect by their way of being.” Respect, in a community, results from working together for the common good, the welfare of all, not just the egotistical whims of a Land Baron and his friends. Let us remember as well, that kindness and honesty to others are the roots of harmony. Something all communities should cherish.
The first step to opening up our public lands to the west of our community once again, was taken on December 13, 2023. The lawyers representing the Percha Creek Association, a group of public land access seeking locals and the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, did a masterful job of proving that Forest Road 40E is indeed a long-standing public access road. Even the Keeper of the Gate admitted under oath that he had traveled that road without permission prior to owning the narrow strip of land. We are waiting now for the judge’s decision to open the gate and decree that the public does have Prescriptive Easement on that road and will ever after.
Look closely at the photo. At the hearing our past sheriff testified under oath that there was an easy one hour hike alternative route to Ladrone Canyon. First off, the canyon we have lost access to is Middle Percha Canyon. Ladrone Canyon is one ridge further to the north. The photo is taken at the end of Iron Mountain road. To get to this point we climbed 800 feet and walked for 45 minutes. If you continue on from the road end, you have to stay to the left to skirt the Bennett’s mining claims. Continue to the top and then head to the right, staying below the dense ridge of trees in the picture. Then you can descend down into the canyon.
We have hiked this. Contrary to testimony, there is not a trail down, in fact it is a very steep bushwhacking decent. Then once you have actually reached the bottom of the canyon, played in the waters a bit, with a heavy sigh, you can head back up the steep canyon wall to retrace your steps. What should legally be a 10 – 15 minute walk on a level road, is in actuality, a very rigorous, seven hour round trip hike. Not the easy one hour hike that was described in the testimony. Look at the photo and you can easily see that this is very rugged country.
This clarification is actually a moot point as it was proved that Forest Road 40E does qualify in every way to be legally classified as a Prescriptive Easement to the public.
I mentioned that there were two quotes from Aldo Leopold that had come to mind. The second quote is this, “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal.”
We seem to be living in a time when the “Me Me Me’ syndrome is growing stronger. The Better than Thou crowd wishes to impose their views on your life and on the Land Community. They are not Better. In fact, when someone assumes the Better Than Thou attitude, that is a sure sign that they are not. Nature has ways of dealing with this. It is called extinction. When that species variant imposes its will on the natural community, in time it loses its dominance and fails. We can help them along by holding together as a strong, loving, and caring community. A community where we are just fellow passengers on this journey called life.
Let us answer Leopold’s call to just be more observant, to respect each other and to share the joy of being alive with our community members. There are so many inspiring stories out there. Please repel the hateful words that are spewing from many today. That is a cancer on the land. A disease that can be eradicated by the community banding together, holding hands, and saying NO, go sit in the corner like the petulant child you are until you truly understand what respect and loving another means.
Let us start this new year with resolve to continue the good works being done today that benefit the global community and not just line some tyrant’s pockets with ill earned monies. THEY ARE NOT BETTER THAN YOU, no matter your race, gender or social standing. Be proud of who you are and the love and joy that emanates from you and creates smiles around you, not scowls.
Set out with purpose this coming year. Embrace the natural community that lies outside your door. With a strong step, stride out into the world and enjoy the journey with its ups and down and unknowns. That is called living with purpose. A very worthy goal.
Love to all and go get a bit of nature on you and enjoy the experience. Remember always, they are NOT BETTER THAN YOU!
Thank you Steve for your firm perspective on this important and shameful land grab. It is disheartening that the USDA Forest Service is abdicating their duty. It speaks volumes to the fact that two nonprofit organizations had to take up the battle. I am interested to learn the results of this hearing. I am hopeful.
Dear Steven, You begin your article so sweetly, about Christmas and being together as a community. Yet, you morph into an attack on a landowner. Last time I checked our constitution allows citizens of the United States of America to own land, and said such land is there’s to manage and control. I do not see the owner in this situation wanting to destroy the land, but protect it from the foot print of man- who in his very nature tends to trample and destroy [I have personally seen the litter left behind by others who have trespassed past the locked gate] This country is supposed to have borders to protect the citizens from invasion of non-citizens whose intent we do not know as they pour over the southern border in to Texas, California, New Mexico and beyond. I am sure as a Kingston resident you have some concern over this invasion?
I support the right of the landowner and do not respect the subjective attack launched here on a fellow citizen with full rights to protect his land as he sees fit. There a plenty of access roads to trails on public lands and perhaps some new exploring is in yours and others future. A new adventure awaits! This is the exciting and notable news for the New Year of 2024. Let’s not talk out of both sides of our mouths when we say, “Let’s us respect and love each other and the land.”
I appreciate every word of the comment by Dana Barasso. Great insight.
These landowners are not spiteful or being selfish. They have every right to protect their land and privacy.
The people you and a handful of local residents have denigrated, harrassed and slandered are my very dear friends.
I stand behind them. I choose to respect them and their efforts to protect their land.