Letter to the Editor: Protecting all life at Yellow River State Forest

To the Editor:

I would like to express my sincere concern about the decision to reduce the amount of time the park ranger spends at Yellow River State Forest. As a local resident and someone who not only currently frequents the park, but also grew up going to the park, this is very concerning to me for a number of reasons.

I am worried about things getting out of control and people not treating Yellow River with respect if there is not a ranger around. My husband and I have recently returned from a trip around the U.S. spent staying at National Forest and BLM land in our camper. I saw this time and time again: When there was no ranger present, we would arrive at campsites that had trash everywhere, bullet holes on the signs, and people target shooting in places they are not supposed to.

The worst of this was when I felt a bullet whiz near my head while trying to enjoy a bike ride. I found myself appreciating the cleanliness and orderliness of Yellow River throughout my trip. I can guarantee you that reducing the amount of time a ranger spends at our forest to a minimum will take that away.

Yellow River has been a sanctuary for people and animals alike. People come from miles away to enjoy the peace and quiet that Yellow River offers. Every day, people come to the forest to spend time relaxing in nature, camp, hike, fish, or simply pass their love of Yellow River on to their children. This is, in no small part, due to Ranger Rylan Retallicks’s enormous effort to protect the beauty of and animals in the State Forest.

According to fws.gov, there are a number of endangered and critical species that likely reside in Yellow River State Forest including, but not limited to, Bald Eagles, Cerulean Warblers, Northern Long-eared Bats, and Rusty Patched Bumble Bees. With only 25% of his time spent there, it would be nearly impossible for our forest to remain a sanctuary to the extent that it is. This would be detrimental to not only the people who love Yellow River and all it offers, but also to the animals that call our forest their home.

I speak on behalf of all of the animals and people who love Yellow River and want it to remain a haven for future generations to cherish; we need our ranger there. Please contact Senator Klimesh at mike.klimesh@legis.iowa.gov  or 563-380-4224, and Rep. Anne Osmundson at Anne.Osmundson@legis.iowa.gov or 563-880-8227 to tell them why you think Yellow River State Forest needs a full-time park ranger. Also, please take a moment to sign the petition at tiny.cc/yrsfranger.

Thank you for
your concern,

Rochelle Almazan
Harpers Ferry