It was a fascinating day as we walked across the lava flows and cinder cones created by very chaotic and violent volcanic activity just a couple thousand years ago. I highly recommend a visit to the monument's tortured landscape. It truly is otherworldly.
However, our last stop before we left was a short walk around Devil's Orchard. In many parks, a plaque is often posted to describe or explain what the visitor is seeing. Often, natural phenomena are explained, special plants or animals are highlighted, or historical information is shared. Yet, at Devil's Orchard, the plaques come with an agenda. Here are some of the interesting messages we saw:
This first one is interesting. It mentions the presence of lichens in the park. What is a lichen? It is the unique result of the symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi which manifests itself in brightly colored patches on rocks. Unfortunately, you wouldn't know that from reading this plaque. Instead, we discover that we are killing these pretty colored creatures:
"Tough as they are, lichens can still be threatened by human activity because they store airborne chemicals in their cells. -snip- First to grow and first to be damaged, lichens warn us that the park's air suffers from polluters near and far."Well, isn't that a cheerful endorsement of nature's wonder.
Here the plaque offers to educate the reader through definitions:
"Broken rocks. Polluted plants. Bad decisions. The process of understanding, correcting and preventing all this is called resource management."
Oh, to have the coveted position of Resource Manager.
The plaques continue their monotonous tirade:
"Take a deep long breath. Hard to believe, but this fresh air is getting dirty. The damaged lichens prove it."
Then the plaques berate the visitor:
In a world ever more affected by humans, you are a "park neighbor" wherever you live. Being a good neighbor means being informed about recycling and the sound use of resources.I never felt so bad being a human.
And finally, the UN steps in to blame the visitor for visiting :
"It is not the presence of animals and plants that makes conservation necessary, but the presence of people" - Maurice Strong, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme 1972-1975
The unsuspecting visitors to Craters of the Moon national Monument were just told that to save the park from themselves it would have been better for them to stay home. I am all for smart conservation, mindful use of resources, and respecting our outdoors. However, brow beating visitors with this poorly presented message is not the way to do it.
Agenda 21 in action. I hope the governing bodies of Utah will study Agenda 21 and find what you found on these signs, that humans are the enemy that must be contained and controlled, the mantra of Agenda 21 as these signs blatantly describe. We must destroy Agenda 21 as a state and a nation. The governing bodies have the ability and responsibility to do this.
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