“Enjoy the Maine Woods – But respect it too” (Our View, April 18) was a great article about our responsibility to prepare ourselves for the unknown. The Editorial Board is right that too often inexperienced hikers may overestimate their abilities to work through difficult terrain or other unexpected challenges.
But throughout this article, it was difficult not to see the inexperienced hiker in everyone. When it comes down to it, according to the American Hiking Society, the most pressing issues threatening trials are not flatlanders hiking in flip flops, but air pollution, encroaching urban development, and proliferation of human infrastructure.
Just as it seems silly for people not to take the time to ready themselves for a hike, it’s silly for our state not to properly plan for the maintenance of our natural environment. Now is the time to take pollution regulation and climate change seriously when preparing for Maine’s future.
The hiker may be able to be rescued by the wardens, but who will rescue us from ourselves?
Hannah Woodford
Readfield
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