What types of environmental problems does the Bitterroot Valley of Montana currently face? Are these problems historical in nature? Why or why not?
The Bitterroot Valley faces struggles of managing the environment. Montana is perceived as the last true frontier. Outsiders take a look at montana as it is rich with wildlife and not overgrown with population. The environmental problems that the Bitterroot valley faces are population, undersupply, toxic materials, quality of water, deterioration of forests and climate change. I believe these problems are historical in nature. Fur Traders that came to montana to trade are all but gone. Hunting and fishing is recreational in present day Montana. It’s not what it used to be. Mining during the early 1900’s was a big thriving business. That is all on the decline now. The things that are most prominent in modern Montana are Tourism and outdoor recreation.
Do you think the Bitterroot Valley, in particular, and Montana, in general offer good explanatory models for understanding the world’s environmental issues? Why or why not?
I think Montana and the Bitterroot Valley offer a good way of how and why things work within the worlds environmental issues. People can look at Montana from an outside perspective and see the rise of a developed economy. Unlike other cities in the world Montana’s towns are smaller. Modern society is different outside of Montana. This is the last true boundary within America. People can apply the world’s environmental issues to montana issues. There can be a side by side comparison.
I like that you acknowledged the view of Montana as a “frontier”, which to me is so important in understanding why many of these environmental issues occur. I am all about Manifest Destiny and the need to settle the west, but I have definitely seen the effects of large population increases in our beautiful state. It’s no secret why people want to move here, but I worry that pretty soon it will just be like any other place, with too many people changing the things that everyone loves about the Big Sky state. In my opinion, the other environmental issues you chose to mention can all be linked to overpopulation, so I think it was a good choice to mention those in conjunction with so many people moving in. Overall, nice post and I definitely agree with you about the importance of the issues you chose.
As an out of state student from Colorado, reading this article as well as the subjects you chose in particular resonate with me. Population has rapidly been increasing where I am from in the Denver Metro area and the effects of all these factors on my beautiful, mountainous home state are very clear and disheartening. The desire of people to occupy lovely land no doubt leads to the detriment of the surrounding area and ultimately leads to citizens (such as myself) to pick up and leave for a new, more pristine landscape. Where will we all go if and when Montana has been so torn up by people moving in? Alaska? These are the questions I fear we’ll be asking sooner rather than later if society doesn’t bridge the gap between advancement and environmental conscientiousness.