Verizon Wireless wants to disguise a cellphone tower as a pine tree at Sequoia National Park. The perspective of this shot makes it difficult to determine how high above the rest of the forest the tower would rise/NPS, Verizon Wireless
If a scrawny looking pine tree towered above other pines near Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park, would you figure out that it was a cellphone tower? And would you then care that your backcountry hikes might be interrupted by someone chatting loudly on their phone or streaming Drake?
Those are questions the National Park Service is seeking your thoughts on as they consider a proposal from Verizon Wireless to disguise a cellphone tower as a pine tree near the lodge.
The ubiquitous nature of cellphones these days brings more and more demands for cell signals wherever one roams, even if they might be in a forest of giant sequoias. That said, just 29 people took time to comment on the proposal earlier this year, though 17 of those expressed concerns that widespread cellphone coverage "reduces the contrast between wilderness and other lands, and negatively impacts wilderness character."
Against that position, though, are the views of employees in the park who feel isolated without cellphone coverage, and the safety aspect of being able to quickly contact help.
A total of 203 health and safety incidences were recorded in the Lodgepole / Wuksachi area in 2017, including search and rescue calls (20), emergency service calls (146), motor vehicle collisions (33), and fatalities (4). -- National Park Service
Verizon Wireless is proposing to construct a 138-foot cellular tower west of Wuksachi Village to achieve a coverage objective that includes a portion of the Generals Highway, the Wuksachi Village, Lodgepole, and Wolverton areas. Antennas would be directed, as much as possible, away from the wilderness, the park's environmental assessment says.
Comments on the plan are being taken through November 26.
The proposed wireless communications facility would include the following components within a 40-foot by 40-foot area adjacent to two existing above-ground water storage tanks:
- A 138-foot tall tower with panel antennas and microwave dishes, potentially constructed to simulate a pine tree, mounted on a 4 to 5-foot diameter footer
- A covered 28-foot by 13-foot steel equipment platform
- A 500-gallon propane tank mounted on a concrete pad
An estimated 1,420 feet of buried electrical cable would be installed along the existing access road to connect the tower to an existing electrical transformer. Two 14-inch diameter fir trees would be removed from the facility site. A total of approximately 0.23 acres of land within the park would be affected by the project, including the trenched area adjacent to the access road (0.19 acres), and the communications facility (0.04 acres).
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Comments
If this aids in the rescue of people needing help, then it is a good idea. Especially with the numbrs of poorly prepared venturing into the winderness.
I disagree. First off, wilderness should be primitive and you should not bring phone coverage just because people are not prepared for emergencies. Cell towers may present an impact that we do not yet understand (slight chance), and I personnaly would not want someone talking on the phone around me when I am at a park, but that's just me. By not having cell coverage, we could possibly reduce the numbers of visitors, as some would not want to be "isolated".
It's not in a Wilderness.
Two sides to this topic and I understand them both. Someone's life could very well be saved. But people want to enjoy nature without listening to phones. Perhaps signs can be posted no cell phone use except in an emergency.
NO the park is to be enjoyed without all the chattering of ppl on their phones. If you don't want to work somewhere that doesn't have cell servcie then don't apply there. Keep what nature we have safe and fun for everyone. Kids now days just walk around with cell phone and have no idea what a park is about.
I agree completely. There is no need for a cell tower. It can only disrupt the peace of the park
This is an old and regularly repeated argument around the Park Service. Possible lifeline vs Possible Spotify.
It may disqualify me from discussing as, in this case, I know what I'm talking about. After 25+ years working professionally in medicine, I spent the last two summers manning the phones and radios in a busy communication center for a wilderness park. SAR's up the kazoo.
There are times when this could make a difference... times when this could make THE difference.
What wilderness? Wuksachi Lodge is specifically not in any designated wilderness, and this cell tower is proposed to be next to a paved road. There is nothing that says I can't bring in modern electronics into wilderness either, whether it's a digital camera, a GPS device, or a SPOT device.
I'd sooner have someone be able to make a call in that they're late getting back to the trailhead than perhaps a family calling in a missing person and starting a search. And even if it is designated wilderness, helicopters can land if there's a need for a medical airlift.
Argalite, how is talking on a cell phone different than talking to another person? Does it bother you when people talk to each other on a trail? Also, since I have my Spotify playlists all downloaded, I can listen to the music within this tower.
Personally, I would never hike and call people if it was not an emergency. But I love using my phone to look thinks up and research things I might see on the trail (plants, animals, insects, sights or geological features). My phone can be like a guide book. What a great resource. While someone blabbing on a phone would be annoying, Usually within minutes, I can be long past them. It is almost like passing someone with body odor; stinks for a moment, and then its gone. Seems like in todays society, everybody wants to complain about how someone else effects me. Me, Me, Me! I think it's the future direction of our Parks to be more connected with those using the park, even though some go to the park to disconnect. That's my opinion.
Best common sense answer!
Can a cell tower be fixed to only receive 911 transmissions? Just curious....
Theoretically yes. A phone without paid service can still make emergency calls. However, Verizon wouldn't have an incentive to install a tower like this without regular service available. In addition, this would be for use of NPS and concessionaire staff.
i visited Sequoia this spring. I see both sides of the issue. Can this be done with no harm to the trees? I’m not familiar with the specific area, but digging could impact roots. I’ve seen a number of disguused cell towers, they fool no one who pays attention.
Sorry all. I missed the datum that my summer was in a wilderness park, so my comments on this tower in particular were not specifically on the nose, but if you throw out that particular item the gist still applied.
While the placement of a cell tower has to legally respect wilderness designations, the signals do not. I realized that there was cell service when I was woken up by a boy scout in a nearby tent talking to his mom on his cell phone in Yosemite. It's a tool that I'd hope people could use responsibly. If there's an emergency, I'd think most people with one could use it more effectively than a radio for calling in emergencies.
Sometimes I don't really understand the furor over installing cell towers, as if perhaps people are living/working in museums where technological progress has ended. The one thing I really didn't get was that the management at Yellowstone NP protested against a cell tower in Gardiner.
Note: I edited this (to clean up the quote) so it might be out of order compared to when I initially posted it.
Read y-p-w post, sums it up well.
I was at an overlook in Grand Teton while a family had a speakerphone conference call about when to meet up later, with no regard to its impact on others. I do not think individuals are able to police themselves and their impact. I think cell towers are simply the first step towards making parks just like everywhere else.
This NOT a wilderness area. It is a PARK! Have a healthy 'fine/penalty' for cell phone use in the area. To help save lives, by providing cell phone use for emergencies is a valid application in todays world. It's like saying there's a doctor down the road but we can't get in touch with him/her because we MIGHT disturb someones privacy.
The tower itself isn't proposed for a wilderness area. In general permanent fixtures like this aren't generally allowed in fully designated wilderness areas, but there are exceptions such as ranger cabins, outhouses, and even exceptions built into the enabling legislation, such as dams and maintenance roads.
However, the reach of a cellular tower's signal will enter a wilderness area. It's not illegal to use electronics in wilderness areas. It would still be problematic to prohibit the routine use of cellular communications on the basis that it would disturb others' solitude. It would be akin to making it illegal for hikers to talk to each other or illegal to sing around a campfire.
If this celltower is not inside designated park wilderness, then I am for it as long as it doesnt visually impair the experience and the company pays for the cost of camouflage.
First, I suspect you'll see fatalities--I've visited Sequoia multiple times, and peopel trying to use their phones on those roads will drive off the mountian.
Second, there have to be some truly wild places. If folks don't want experience wilderness, there are other parks where they can whip their phones ourt any time they want to. And the phhone-less oarks don't seem to be hurting for visitors. Leave SEKI alone.
For safety reasons I believe they should be allowed to put in the tower.
while I could see a need for communications in emergency situations, we all know the people will spend time in the park talking on or streaming their favorite tv show. Let's not forget what someone said a long time ago "Come to the woods for hear is rest" (John Muir).
We managed to survive up until a couple of decades ago without cell phones...now we have to have them everywhere? Kinda defeats the purpose of getting out in God's nature!
No!!! People go to sequoia national park to unhook from technology. They should be enjoying the beauty around them. They dont Need their face in a phone to distract them further. I understand this could save people but it could also lend to more incidences happening. Texting and driving, people not being aware of their surroundings and getting hurt. My vote is no!!
Horrible idea. In this day and age more than ever people need a place where they can detach from the digital world I'm a former employee of Sequoia National Park, and not having any cellphone coverage for months on end was one of the greatest perks of the job. God forbid it forced people to interact face to face. Regarding emergencies, when a person enters the wilderness they need to do so knowing the risks. The potential to save a life or two is not worth the park selling its soul.