Public access to public lands is a must in the effort to preserve America&8217;s and Minnesota&8217;s treasurered landscapes.

Much too often there are debates and even battles between hikers and skiers and bikers and snowmobilers over the use of public land. Should snowmobiles be allowed in Yellowstone National Park?

These debates neglect the pressing matter at home. Dirt-bike riders, mountain bike riders, snowmobilers, hikers, skiers, campers, bird-watchers and anyone else who loves outdoors recreation all agree there has been a rapid pace of residential development in beautiful places that needed preserving.

Outdoors groups &8212; from the Sierra Club to the Blue Ribbon Coalition &8212; need to put away their petty differences, compromise and focus on saving lands for future generations. Once a wonderful landscape becomes a rural housing development, gone will be the wildlife and the opportunities for recreation that made it a great place.

There was a time in America when our elders were nation building. They thought about future generations. Now that the nation seems to be built, the present generations of Americans are too selfish and want to take what they can while they can. That&8217;s a shame.

Support your outdoors organizations, from Ducks Unlimited to Pheasants Forever and from the Minnesota Land Trust to The Nature Conservancy. These groups are thinking about future generations.