"IN GOD'S wildness lies the hope of the world," opined John Muir, the great (Scottish-born) American naturalist and defender of Yosemite National Park. A century later, that view-sometimes minus God—is still strong in America. It has ensured that around 300m acres of publicly owned land is protected; and woe betide anyone who seeks to reduce it. Thus the political heat that has attended a decade-old argument over the future of nearly 60m acres of national forest, which is currently unbroken by any road. To the delight of all Muirists, a federal appeals court ruled on October 20th that, in effect, it should stay that way. The row dates from 2001 when Bill Clinton, during his last days in office, signed an order banning road-building in the area, which represents a third of America's total national forest land. His successor, George Bush, froze Mr Clin- ton's order; then introduced an alternative, weaker protection, which handed more control of the land to state governments. The matter has been contested in a blizzard of law suits ever since. On the side of Muir and the wild are some concerned states, including Washington, California and New Mexico, and a host of conservationists, hunters and fishers. Opposing them are other states, notably Wyoming and Idaho, backed by mining and logging companies. The recent ruling, given by a three-man appellate bench in Colorado, strongly endorsed Mr Clinton's "roadless rule".
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