US Forest Service is using surveillance cameras on public lands

[sherpa]

Be careful where you take a leak if you are out in the middle of the forest hunting this fall.
I have heard some interesting things about this new practice.
Some very interesting reading here:

US Forest Service admits putting surveillance cameras on public lands

 

[RickB]

If the protection and preservation of public lands is aided by video surveillance, so what?

Unless I am doing something stupid, illegal, or immoral I could care less who is watching.

 

[Buppies]

If the protection and preservation of public lands is aided by video surveillance, so what?

Unless I am doing something stupid, illegal, or immoral I could care less who is watching.

The point to me is your privacy is gone every where one goes someone is watching. Our freedoms are almost gone

 

[sherpa]

Here is how it works.
First off we the citizens own the public lands, the land is there for the public’s use and recreation.
The US Forest Service, Fish and Game and BLM are managers and keepers of our land.

Managing these large land parcels takes time and can be expensive. If any of these agencies decides that they do not want to manage or bother with a certain part of the property they simply put up a gate and sign or block it off at their discretion. They can cut their upkeep expense and responsibilities in half if they choose. Years ago they use to just cut a large ditch in front of the road. Later they used our tax money to put up nice expensive gates to keep us out of our property. They still had to be on site to write tickets etc. Now the government has spent much more of our money on sophisticated and expensive surveillance equipment and cameras just to keep us managed. You trespass on the land and get your picture taken. The picture is sent wirelessly to the office’s device or cell phone. He or she issue a citation sent by mail and states that you were seen by hikers that got your tag number and turned it in to the agency. There is no mention of a camera. And by the way, these cameras can be way back in the forest not just at a trail head!

It sounds like I got this info from a US Government employee?

 

[oosik]

I agree with Rick B. The USFS etc are managers of our lands. If they do not have the resources to manage the lands then it is a correct action to restrict or close these lands. There is no question that unmanaged lands pose a greater risk to the public and bottom feeding litigious lawyers who will sue at the drop of a hat.

In example - you trespass on my land - you will not get your picture taken. You will be dealing with the county sheriff and a trespass lawsuit.

Sherpa - I think the telling statement you make is - "You trespass on the land......". Exactly what do you expect when you trespass???

 

[dave1949]

Here is how it works.
First off we the citizens own the public lands, the land is there for the public’s use and recreation.
The US Forest Service, Fish and Game and BLM are managers and keepers of our land.

That is not a comprehensive description of the purpose of public lands. Even if it were, your use and enjoyment and that of following generations, is dependent upon some level of protection.

Unfortunately, we the people have a habit of misusing and destroying things. Some heavily used areas simply need time to recover from human pressure even if everyone respects the use regulations and laws--which they clearly don't do.

 

[Jim Nelson]

I agree with Rick B. The USFS etc are managers of our lands. If they do not have the resources to manage the lands then it is a correct action to restrict or close these lands. There is no question that unmanaged lands pose a greater risk to the public and bottom feeding litigious lawyers who will sue at the drop of a hat.

In example - you trespass on my land - you will not get your picture taken. You will be dealing with the county sheriff and a trespass lawsuit.

Sherpa - I think the telling statement you make is - "You trespass on the land......". Exactly what do you expect when you trespass???

How do you "trespass" on your own land?

 

[Gary Fowler]

MY thoughts on Public land (land owned by state of Federal government) doesn't mean that any J.Q. Public has right to trespass on it and do what ever he likes because he is a tax payer.

I would say that if folks don't like the way public lands are managed, buy there own land and manage it the way they want and stay off the public lands. Surveillance cameras on public land are no different than a personal security camera or cameras set up in other public spots. They are there to catch would be crooks in the act. If you aren't breaking any laws, why worry about them, at least in today's context.

The Doomsayers always see everything the government does as infringement on personal liberties, which they can be if used in a way that they were not meant to be, but that is true of everything- cars, guns, hammers, ball bats, rocks etc.

 

[sherpa]

The problem is before the law is broken. These government agencies will close down a large newly developed park where federal, state and local funds have been raised and used to make it better for public use, just so they do not have to go fix a path, repair a road or replace a faucet in a bathroom. The managing agency can close off a road or park anytime they want for whatever reason. This gives them the authority to shorten their work schedule whenever they want. They have had all kinds of issues with the BLM agency.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I just spent two weeks dry camping in a National Forest in Arizona with my dad, he's 88 and does that all summer because highs at 7,400' are about 30 degrees less than they are in the valley. Like all Federal budgets the Forest Service has been cut back and the forest reflects it. Used to be you could expect a drive by at least once a day by a ranger. They were there to make your visit better and make sure you were informed about how to behave in public places.

Now, not so much. We got to see what happens when you cut the budget. The number one thing that happens is you empower the idiots and abusers of public places.

I left our home in care of neighbors and friends for three weeks. But I also tucked away a game camera to record visitors without telling anyone. As I was in the forest watching bad parented kids tear up the fauna with four wheelers while their parents acted the fool I had to believe that the threat of a camera might change things. We know it affects the way cops act when they're being recorded. And studies have shown that stoplight and speed cameras are more accurate and fair than cops doing traffic duty. Plus, huge plus, technology is a lot cheaper than a warm body.