Bambi will thrive

Dear Editor:I appreciate the advocacy that wildlife folks in our valley have expressed concerning opening human trails on public lands. I, too, advocate for the animals. I have been very impressed by how declaring an area a park enhances the relationship between people and wildlife.The trail sections in question are all in heavily populated and trafficked corridors yet remain accessible and used by animal populations. Rock Bottom/Catherine Store Bridge, Red Wind Point and Filoha Meadows are perfect areas to be optimized as parkland interfaces between ourselves and our animal neighbors. It is past time that we relearn how to coexist with animals. Using a park mentality, we become aware of the presence of the wild while commuting on a clean air trail. We learn to interact respectfully with wildlife instead of fear or hunt it. Wildlife thrives where people hold it in awe and deal with it harmlessly. I’ve witnessed this in parks worldwide and even with the sheep in Glenwood Canyon. It requires a management plan, interpretive sites to educate ourselves and the backing of locals to treat it as such because locals will comprise 9 percent of the use of these special spots. If you are interested in human trails on the trail sections mentioned, please attend the Crystal Caucus at the Redstone Church at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, March 29 and May 3.Bambi will thrive.John Hoffmann Carbondale