Rock Canyon preservation

[Alton Thygerson <thygerson at byu dot edu>]

In the Provo Daily Herald, a plea was made for e-mails supporting the need
to protect Rock Canyon from becoming a rock quarry and defacing this natural
scenic beauty.    

Monies are available for conservation of critical lands in Utah.  Your
e-mail can include how often you use the canyon and for what purposes.  The
state needs to hear your concerns. E-mail support letters to:
jbennett@utah.gov with a copy to rockcanyonalliance@hotmail.com.

The canyon provides a year round residence for Canyon Wren and Chukars among
a host of other birds plus a lot of migrants.  In any other state, Rock
Canyon would be a state park or even a national park.

Such close proximity is unknown to most metropolitan areas, and now is an
opportunity to preserve it before the rocks are hauled to Las Vegas for
landscaping.  

I have sent an e-mail, please join me another by sending an e-mail to the
two addresses above.

Alton Thygerson
Provo, Utah
September 6, 2004
  






My concern is for the wildlife in Rock Canyon.  As an avid and active
birder, I frequent the area for watching birds and other wildlife.  It is
one of the few reliable places in Utah to hear and see Canyon Wren, Chukars,
and Golden Eagles. Many other bird species live or migrate through the area.
I am not alone in my pursuit since there are hundreds of other community
members using the canyon for the same purpose.

I also use the area for exercise.  During the winter I snowshoe up the
canyon and hike it during the spring, summer, and fall months.

Rock Canyon in any other state would be a State Park or perhaps even a
National Park.  

Rock Canyon is a magnet for visitors.  For example this summer I visited
with a group of about 25 university geology students from Wisconsin on a
field trip.  They had traveled through Utah's other geologic wonders (e.g.,
Zion NP, Bryce NP, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP) and had included Rock Canyon
as one of the stops.

It is one of Provo's recognizable landscapes.  Many people have memories
ranging from scout excursions to marriage proposals in the canyon.

Any rocks from a quarry would never be replaced. It would never be the same.
Too much scarring of the foothills already exists.

Such close proximity to such a natural beauty is unknown to most
metropolitan areas in the United States.  I believe that given the same type
of canyon in other out-of-state locations that the local and state
governments would preserve such an area.

Let's not compound past environmental mistakes with another.  We have an
opportunity to preserve the land for our use and those of future
generations.       

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