Want to Help Open Up Access? Start with Respect.

Recently, IWF has worked to ground-truth claims of illegal access obstructions in our state. After countless rebukes from lawmakers that “no one is blocking access to public lands”, we’ve felt the need to simply provide proof, free of rhetoric. We want to report the truth on the ground to show that, in fact, Idahoans are being shut out of areas they have every right to access.

Unfortunately, far too many responses to our reporting resort to calling for property destruction as equal retribution. One illegal act does not forgive another. Yes, it is annoying your access is being stripped away. Yes, we agree there needs to be significant consequences for stealing public resources, perhaps equal to or greater than the consequences for private property trespass. But we will never enshrine public access if the mob response to one illegal activity calls for unhelpful actions.

Shutting out access is not the Idaho way. Hurting someone by hurting their property, even less so.

Calling for gates to be “ripped down” isn’t helping. The gate can be there. The lock shouldn’t, obviously, nor the orange paint, but if we want something to be done we need to be better than those who would intentionally steal from us. Instead of advocating for senseless destruction, call your legislator! Tell them we need better laws to protect access and prevent access obstruction.

Lets be proactive. Cool it down with the comments online. Leave the sawzall at home. Find your legislator here.