Imagining the United States before colonies, industrialization and population surges is nearly impossible. What indigenous plants once covered the concrete city blocks? What forests were present before the need for agricultural plantations? What does raw, untouched nature truly look like? The closest answers to these questions are present in the expansive deserts, mountains, lakes and forests that comprise our National Park System. It is in these designated sanctuaries that human beings can interact with nature in the most authentic possible way, and this was the entire reason for their creation. The National Park System was created as a gift to the human population, but it is not being treated as such.
This past July, ultra-marathon-runner Scott Jurek publicly defaced Mount Katahdin after breaking the previous record for fastest completion of the Appalachian Trail. This epic trail extends 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine and concludes at the monumental peak in Baxter State Park. Upon summitting Mount Katahdin, Jurek popped a bottle of champagne while crowds of supporters and camera crews encouraged his celebration. After being summoned for violating numerous park regulations — having a group of more than 12 people, drinking alcohol and littering — the runner blamed his summons on misinformation provided by the park rangers.
Based on the nature of his misconducts, Jurek is responsible. The regulations and expectations for travelers are clearly stated on the Appalachian Trail Conservancy website. But nature is viewed as a stomping ground, not a playground, and policies for maintaining pristine landscapes are largely discounted. “Stomping” ground has actually become quite literal, for the carelessness and ignorance of hikers has contributed to erosion and disturbance of flora and fauna along the trail. Areas that were once alpine meadows have been obliterated by foot traffic and species like the Katahdin arctic butterfly are now endangered.
Overconfidence is a major contributor to the lack of sustainable tourism present on the trail. Every year, thousands of backpacking newbies attempt one of the most extensive and difficult trails in the country, bringing pounds of extra gear. According to Outside magazine, cleanup volunteers in Georgia found blow dryers and mattresses that had been abandoned. Jeff Marion, a research biologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, recounts campers leaving used toilet paper on trails and throwing used batteries into campfires. Though some expertise on backpacking develops through experience, the basics are common knowledge.
People who genuinely think blow dryers and mattresses are necessities for camping trips are attempting to hike one of the most historic trails in the U.S., and this is concerning. The Appalachian Trail stretches through numerous state parks, national forests and national parks, all of which have been placed under the protection of the government because of their environmental and geographical significance. These lands should not be available to people who litter, vandalize and inflict harm.
Due to the current state of the Appalachian Trail, permits have been suggested as a means of regulating hikers and maintaining control of resources. This has been met with disapproval and claims of entitlement — as human beings, the argument goes, we should be allowed to explore Mother Nature and her most beautiful creations without regulation. This is a misjudgment. As human beings, we are allowed to interact with Mother Nature if we foster and respect her creations. Individuals who leave trash, deface trees and monuments and ignore designated trails do not deserve to enjoy the most pristine displays of nature because they spoil them. Based on a three-year assessment of the Appalachian Trail conducted by Marion, this constitutes an estimated 20 percent of hikers.
Government permits are typically inexpensive and facile. They do not exclude individuals or serve to discriminate against members of the hiking community. Anyone is eligible for a government permit and, if completed in a timely manner, anyone will be able to continue journeying along the Appalachian Trail. The only difference is that our parks system will have more control over the resources demanded by the surging populations hiking the trail. Those who respect the delicate balance of Mother Nature realize the urgency of this increased supervision. Those who bring blow dryers on backpacking trips do not.