[Paddlewise] PWCs

    The issue is the purpose of a National Park, not whether or not jet
skis have motors or whether their owners are irresponsible.  The
National Parks in most countries exist to preserve and protect and make
available to humans the diversity of the natural world.  If  human
inventions do that, they are accommodated or at least tolerated.
Examples:  River rafts to assist people looking at the Grand Canyon;
Jet boats to assist people looking at Hells Canyon; Cars to assist
people exploring Yosemite -- looking from the car and driving to trail
heads;  Kayaks and Canoes to assist people exploring various places;
Snow mobiles to make exploration of the natural diversity possible in
Yellowstone in the winter.  I do not agree that all these are the best
or even reasonable ways to learn about and enjoy the natural
environment.  But I believe that is their justification.

    Now a device -- a jet ski -- is invented for the sole purpose of
going zoom.  National Parks do not exist for people to go zoom.  If jet
skiers could convince us that their devices were necessary to get to
trail heads, or to watch grizzley bears, they might be able to make a
case.  But the best case I hear is that the Park is a nice backdrop for
going zoom.  Well National Parks are also nice backdrops for golf,
skiing, football, drag racing, summo wrestling, hang gliding, target
practice, steel manufacturing, and war games. We could build golf
courses and football stadiums and factories in Yosemite and Yellowstone
and Jasper.  But being a nice back drop is not sufficient
justification.  The activity has to relate to the park's natural
environment and or to humans relating to that environment.

    I agree that jet skis might be great fun and can be used
responsibly.  That does not justify their use in a National Park.  It
probably does justify their use in what in the USA we call National
Recreation Areas, which are run by the Park Service.  Those areas should

give the Jet skiers and hang gliders and sail boaters plenty of places
to play.  Motors may intensify conflicting uses.  But the presence or
absence of motors is not the deciding factor in their use in National
Parks.

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