By Rob Adams
(July 9, 2015)
I love Sedona. Not just puppy love, but deeply, passionately. She is described in the City Vision Statement as “one of earth’s great treasures”, not just because of her exceptional beauty, but because she fills the human soul with inspiration and awe on a daily basis. As a citizen of Sedona, I believe that we all have a duty to participate in the stewardship of Sedona’s health and vitality.
During the nine years that I served on City Council and as the Mayor, I had the opportunity to be acquainted with Sedona on a much more intimate level than the average citizen. I talked with residents, children and visitors. I considered proposals from developers, the business community, and the Chamber of Commerce. I worked with the Forest Service, Keep Sedona Beautiful and other service organizations. The question that constantly surfaced in my mind was, how do we balance the needs, wants and desires of all of the competing interests in Sedona with the preservation of our natural environment? How do we establish the benchmark for human impacts that may cross the “tipping point”, resulting in irreversible degradation of our natural environment and our lifestyles?
In his novel, “Desert Solitaire”, author Edward Abbey discusses the issue of accessibility to public lands. When Congress established the Park Service in 1916, the mission of this service was to “administer the parks and provide for the enjoyment of the general public by such means as will leave the parks unimpaired for future generations”. Abbey argues that the increasing accessibility to public lands by automobiles, jeeps, bicycles, ATV’s and other man made machines is counter-productive and counter-intuitive to the mission of leaving the parks unimpaired for future generations. In addition, man made machines detract from the solitude and peace that many forest uses seek. He described increased visitation and accessibility to public lands as “Industrial Tourism”, and claims that it is a big business driven by profit motives.
From my personal observation during the last decade, the proliferation of man-made machines on public lands has caused significant degradation of trails, flora and fauna. The Forest Service does not have adequate funding to provide oversight and enforcement and they are under constant pressure to provide even more public accessibility. Abbey laments “a constantly increasing population makes resistance to development and efforts for conservation a hopeless battle”. So what, if anything, can we do?
In 2013/2014, the City of Sedona formed a citizen task force to study complaints of noise and speeding by man made vehicles that were accessing public lands through neighborhoods. Other issues, such as alcohol consumption while operating off road vehicles, reckless driving and resulting fatalities were included in the dialogue. The Forest Service was invited to the discussion to give their input regarding the impacts of man made vehicles to public lands. After months of deliberation, nothing of significance was accomplished. In my opinion, the lack of action was a direct result of resistance from a majority of the ATV and off road rental companies. They cited “financial hardships” to control speeds or modify noise. Big business? Profit motives? Solutions existed, but no action was taken. Since that time, two more off-road rental locations have opened for business in Sedona.
As a city councilor, I preferred voluntary compliance rather than legislation to encourage behavior that is in the interest of the “greater good”. The off-road rental companies had the opportunity to demonstrate their desire to be good stewards of our natural environment during the citizen committee discussions. Instead, no meaningful action was taken.
I believe it is time for the city to initiate a dialogue with the Forest Service regarding the impacts of man made machines on public lands. Is there wide spread public concern? What are the rental companies doing to oversee and enforce the misuse of their vehicles on public lands? How much destruction has already occurred and how can we mitigate future destruction? What areas are at highest risk? What kind of partnerships/resources does the Forest Service need to provide increased oversight and enforcement?
So, what do you think, citizens of Sedona?
Rob Adams
Sedona Arizona
18 Comments
Great letter.
I’ve been in Sedona for quite some time and come and gone since 1987. I’ve watched Sedona grow.. for the most part for the good. At least now Sedona has a laundry mat.. (For those of you who don’t know, the residents used to discourage the hippies and travelers from landing in Sedona.)
I have been quite concerned about naive tourists jumping into “dune buggies” and surging off into the forest. As well, the proliferation of ATVs, drinking and disregard for the sanctity of mother earth or better said the sanctity of the forest seems to go out the window in the name of a “good time.”
A forest is nature; desert high country is nature, AND IT IS FRAGILE. Desert country can take years and years to repair itself. And, a forest is as far as you can get from a Walmart or the city or the mass mind frenzy of people with too much time on their hands or running a little too frazzled.
After all, this is Sedona. What in the world are we thinking allowing tourists to run 4 wheel buggies out into the sanctity of our forests. The almighty dollar and the thinking that goes along with it should be kept out of the forests.
Once we wreck the forests, what then? After all, they are burning the forests on other parts of the planet to very serious consequences. What do we do once we have overrun the forests like we do so many other things?
At some point we are going to have to have a regard for mother nature and learn that what god gives us as peace and serenity is not meant to be turned into a race track.
Sedona needs to be a leader as it regards the sanctity and sanity of our connection with Nature.
Rob, glad to see you keeping busy.
Namasté
Thanks Rob.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Most of us are way to busy to take on what looks like a minor issue, but seeing as Sedona is our home, we should take a closer look.
The ATV companies that were already here should be grandfathered in, but why are new companies getting access to trails… are we issuing permits? If not, why not?
My main issue with the ATV companies is that they provide rentals to tourists who often aren’t qualified to drive ATVs safely and often don’t care about the chaos and loud noise they make as they blast through our neighborhoods on their way to the trails. The companies can claim that these are just a few “bad apples”, but I believe they have a responsibility to our community in which they operate to insure a respect of the many resident neighborhoods that their vehicles operate.
If the owners of these companies care about the quality of life for residents of Sedona, they should VOLUNTEER retrofit their vehicles with MUFFLERS
What about the helicopter tour companies. Aren’t they ruining the Desert Solitude. Can they be convinced to self regulate?
“In addition, man made machines detract from the solitude and peace that many forest user seek. “
CONTINUED:
If the owners of these companies truly care about the quality of life for residents of Sedona, they should VOLUNTEER retrofit their vehicles with MUFFLERS that reduce the disturbing sound of the ATVs and bring quiet to our NEIGHBORHOODS as well as respect for the hikers and bikers who come to our forests to experience the grandeur of our lands in PEACE!
Thanks, Rob. Thumbs up! We’re grateful you’re still part of our community, as we value your opinions. I was hoping you’d weigh in on your views of the possibility of Sedona becoming a National Monument .
Rob Adam’s thoughtful letter is a call to action regarding Sedona’s impending “tragedy of the commons” and repeats Rob Bonner’s theme (comments – April 13, 2015/Opinion:Selling Sedona, Part 3).
Someone famously said that those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. So, shall we just watch and wait as Sedona is trampled by thundering hordes, or do we do what is healthy for Sedona and convene a citizen working group and work to solve this problem?
We wonder how many citizens of Sedona truly feel a responsibility to steward this precious landscape and protect it from the bully of the dollar.
And we also wonder how many citizens really believe that the “love Sedona to death” behaviors and activities will just automatically correct themselves.
Surely if we are not past the tipping point, we are speedily approaching it. The increasing popularity of ATVs and bikes in the forest over the past several years are making it increasingly difficult to enjoy the landscape that I moved here for 13 years ago. While Uptown parking and road congestion has been a long term problem for Sedona, now during peak times, lack of parking at forest service trail heads has become a major problem. And this is in spite of the recent increased parking capacity at Bell Rock Vista, as well as the addition of large paved parking lots at Courthouse Vista, Yavapai Point and Dry Creek Vista.
I have long been a steward for the forest service of the Cathedral Rock Trail and have seen the roadway parking on Back O’Beyond often filling the approximately 40 possible parking sites on weekends both above and below the forest service trail head parking lot. Having been an active forest service volunteer and former city councilor, I am well acquainted with employees of both the forest service and city. I met with forest service staff in January and City of Sedona staff in February to find a way to address the roadway parking problem. I am pleased that as a result of these discussions, the city has acquired some private land just west of the forest service trail head parking lot and has budgeted for this year the cost of building a parking lot for 14 -18 cars. “No Parking – Tow Away” signs along Back O’Beyond Rd. will be installed and enforced, although there is yet to be a plan for the enforcement. The goal is to provide some additional safe parking and at the same time limit the visitor use of the trail to a sustainable level.
Forest service staff boldly acknowledge that we cannot pave our way out of the parking demands that increased visitor ship to Sedona has created. The solution for the parking problem at the Cathedral Rock Trailhead cannot be replicated at other congested trailheads.
Perhaps the city should consider employing the $1.5 M in city funds annually earmarked for Chamber of Commerce destination marketing instead for infrastructure projects to enhance the experience of our visitors before they stare posting their frustration at traffic and parking on social media.
There’s nothing like hiking the wilderness, sitting in complete solitude and listening to the sounds of nature when the whiny roar of an ATV approaches in a cloud of choking dust. Many of these ATV voyeurs have no manners.
It would be best if ATVs are restricted to one or two dirt roads, and leave the rest alone.
Years ago, I used to love to hike Broken Arrow. I haven’t hiked that trail in over 10 years due to the Jeep and ATV traffic. I no longer hike Courthouse and Bell Rock trails – last two times there I was run down by bicyclist. When the bicyclist was helping me up, he apologized profusely saying he hadn’t been on a bike in 20 years and “it looked like fun.” It may LOOK like fun, but I got hurt. I know that is a popular bike trail and the rental company is nearby so I just don’t go there anymore.
How many other trails have been ruined for hikes by ATVs and bikes? Too many.
You’re right Rob.I believe it’s the helicopters that we need to be concerned with. One flight will rattle the pictures on my walls in my home or rattle my nerves when I’m hiking in the wilderness.The number of helicopter flights through these canyons are projected to double to approximately 20,000 per year over the next 20 years. Many dedicated individuals and committees tried and failed to save the goose that lays this golden egg from the profiteers who are killing it, but a line should have been drawn long ago.
The natural soundscape is as important to preserve as the visual landscape.
It’s time to drive the money-changers from our Mothers temple.
Rob Adam’s thoughtful letter is a call to action regarding Sedona’s impending “tragedy of the commons” and repeats Rob Bonner’s theme (Editorials/Opinion:SellingSedona,Part3/Comments:RobBonner4-13-15).
Someone famously said that those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. So, shall we just watch and wait as Sedona is trampled by thundering hordes, or do we do what is healthy for Sedona and convene a citizen working group and work to solve this problem?
We wonder how many citizens of Sedona truly feel a responsibility to steward this precious landscape and protect it from the bully of the dollar.
And we also wonder how many citizens really believe that the “love Sedona to death” behaviors will just automatically correct themselves.
Thank you Rob for starting this conversation. I had an idea I’d like to share and see if others agree that it’s feasible.
If the City of Sedona could enact a tax on the rentals of ATVs, the funds raised could be put in a dedicated trust that could provide loans to fund the ATV operators to comply with a new city code requiring the retrofit of proper compliant MUFFLERS and SPEED GOVERNORS. This new code would define the sound and speed limits of the ATVs on the streets of our community.The City could charge interest on these loan through this trust which could also fund the repairs to our streets and damaged trails.
The operators of the ATV Rental companies could not claim any undue burden because this tax would be paid by the tourist renter of the ATV.
Rob, well said !!! I would include the noise produced by groups of motorcycles with modified mufflers on 179 and 89A. Sedona needs an enforceable noise ordinance. These visitors impact our quality of life with their intentional noise pollution.
Rob, well said !!! I would include the noise produced by groups of motorcycles with modified mufflers on 179 and 89A. Sedona needs an enforceable noise ordinance. These visitors impact our quality of life with their intentional noise pollution.
Hello Rob…
I’m glad you have raised awareness on the whole concept of public land stewardship.
ATV’s are a constant challenge and it is not my intention to dilute the point of your excellent article but rather, reinforce it.
As you know, the Oak Creek Watershed Council (OCWC) is dedicated to protecting the integrity of Oak Creek, as well as maintaining a standard of excellence in watershed stewardship. Sedona is at the center of the Oak Creek Watershed and partners with OCWC to this end.
Those who read your article should know that the Forest Service can only provide their present level of service through the efforts of volunteer groups like Friends of the Forest, KSB, OCWC and others. These groups include boots-on-the-ground stewards who are ALWAYS looking for other citizens to help with the stewardship of public lands.
So my suggestion to those who would help in any capacity, is to get involved. First step: check out http://www.oakcreekwatershed.org
For those who are ATV enthusiasts… the same suggestion, plus… Recreate Responsibly. There is no housekeeping service in the forest. It’s up to all of us to leave it in pristine condition.
Barry Allan
Regarding Bernice’s request that I weigh in on the National Monument, I am enthusiastically supportive.
I spent a considerable amount of time and effort supporting the National Scenic Area Designation (including testifying to a Congressional Committee). As with the National Scenic Area, the National Monument designation could be a key strategy in obtaining additional funding for the Forest Service to provide oversight and enforcement that is desperately needed in this area. This could be one of the best ways to deal with the misuse/overuse of our National Forest.
Thanks to Keep Sedona Beautiful for the great work that they have done on this issue. Unfortunately, politics and misinformation from special interest groups get in the way of common sense solutions. We are already seeing this kind of opposition to the National Monument.
Rob Adams
I have lived at the Red Rock Crossing for 16 years and cherish the many healing
ceremonies that I have witnessed. I once was standing at the Red Rock Crossing,
throwing a ball to my retriever, when a family of Russians asked me where the
Red Rock Crossing and Cathedral Rock were. I said , “you are here already”
and I pointed to the Cathedral and they began to cry and the entire family got
into the water , as if being baptized or healed by the Oak Creek water. They
thanked me and waved with big smiles , as I headed up the road to my home.
This is why I live here. This is why I support keeping this spot as a sacred
Memorial site. Thanks for supporting this measure.
Since these replies support Rob’s point of view, let’s hope the NFS is watching this thread. Left to their own devices, the profit-from-the-consumption-of-public-natural-resources crowd will severely degrade our outdoor experience. Isn’t it the job of the NFS to prevent this? They seem to do a decent job of regulating the jeep tour and balloon companies.
Surveys show that we Sedonans value our surrounding environment in its natural state. We need to vote for people who are aligned with our priorities.