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If there were webcams in the backcountry it wouldn't bother me because I don't do anything unlawful and if I were involved in an accident of some kind it would be helpful. We hardly notice the city webcams and shouldn't think to much about the backcountry ones. It does seem silly to put them way out in the woods and there must be better uses for the money.
Hey Kurt, thanks for continuing the discussion. I think with current trends in our national parks, which remain comparably safe to other areas of America but not without its struggles, we're going to need to have this debate. Yellowstone in that comprehensive plan raised the issue, so let's talk about it.
My follow up: http://compasspointsmedia.com/the-eyes-may-have-it/
I seriously doubt that the goal of the webcams is law-enforcement, nor even that they are to watch humans.
Wire less and webcam technology are almost to the point that they can replace the old motion or heat triggered wildlife cameras. They're likely to be much smaller, as well as provide real time data without someone packing in to download and reset the cameras, more reliable, and cheaper.
If I were a backcountry manager at Yellowstone, I'd use the webcam data not only for monitoring wildlife abundances, but also for simple things like grizzly bears currently in the vicinity of some backcountry campsites, which I would either close for the couple of weeks or at least provide additional warnings to folks obtaining backcountry permits so that they might alter their plans. That's safety information.
That said, if I were a backcountry manager, I'd also have to consider the possibility of folks positively shifting their use toward locations with current bear or wolf activity, increasing the potential for harm to visitors but also to wildlife due to armed visitors being too bold and getting too close.
I'm glad I'm not a backcountry manager.
I'm wondering if there's a difference between fully designated wilderness and a place like Yellowstone where none of their backcountry has any wilderness designation. Would the webcams be considered a non-conforming use that wouldn't be allowed? Even in areas which are "potential wilderness", I understand that often only allows pre-existing non-conforming use to continue.
Hmm, webcams in the wilderness? Guess I'm old fashioned, but I really don't like the thought that Big Brother is watching in the last place you want to be watched. Also, how about those who like to run around in the altogether when out in the woods? Will the couple who get a bit romantic during a hike have to search around for a possible hidden candid camera before indulging their passions? Nope, don't like it.
I think they are finding a way to put webcams in the backcountry to help monitor thermal / volcanic activity changes after earthquakes
Well, anon, they already have a pretty good existing network of instrumentation throughout the park to monitor volcanic activity. As they explain at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, "There are permanent stations that monitor earthquakes, deformation, and hydrologic data in real-time."
And if that were truly the reason behind this option, why not simply come out and say that?
I don't see why it would be any different other than technological evolution from a fire watchtower [which was the visualized 'perfect job' I dreamt of when I came home from Korea 41 years ago, that I never realized].
Another reason why we need wilderness designation in National Park back country.
Monitering wild, free-roaming animals is just not possible with surveylence equipment. A wolf pack has an average range of 50 miles. A bear can travel 8 miles a day in search of habbitat or food. That would be alot of cameras! Not only this, but at the expense of the public. Charging a fee should not be at the top of the priority list for National Parks. The parks are meant to be for everyone's enjoyment first.
And what about the live feed camera? Are we the people ready to pay someone to sit at a station and watch for free roaming wildlfie on a T.V. for hours at a time? When traveling in the wilderness you know of the presence of predator animals and must take precautions regardless of where you think they are. A false sense of security is more dangerous than none.