A hiker in Oregon made a disturbing discovery last year.
In Tom McCall Preserve at Rowena, they happened upon office decor in the middle of nature. They snapped a photo and shared it with r/hiking, writing, "School is apparently in session."
Maybe the desk and chair made up a poorly conceived art installation, as commenters noted, but that's no excuse. As the poster said in response to someone who asked if they had set up the photo: "Absolutely not. I hike and respect nature. I don't stage b******* pictures."
The poster also noted, "This is new from the last time I was there."
While it's possible the desk and chair were set up for the sake of an interesting photograph or painting at some point, the general consensus from Redditors was that there is no good reason to abandon trash in a nature preserve.
As one user wrote, "F*** people who bring garbage into a nature preserve or wilderness area."
Others agreed, with one saying, "Yeah, this is just littering."
Another at least found humor in the image, comparing it to Monty Python scenes featuring John Cleese at a desk outdoors in a random setting, saying, "And now for something completely different."
Sadly, instances such as these are all too common. From graffiti and trash to reckless behavior, there's a well-traveled social media post for just about any kind of disappointing sight at national parks and other natural areas across the United States.
Mostly, such acts are perpetrated by tourons, or tourist morons, who think they operate under their own rules — or, as is often the case, who believe rules don't apply to them at all.
Aside from keeping visitors safe — more than 20 people have died at Yellowstone National Park — guidelines protect fauna and flora.
In our warming world, treating nature right is all the more important with an increasing need for climate awareness, which is a crucial first step as governments, companies, and individuals need to do their respective parts to keep dirty energy sources from pushing Earth into an unlivable environment.
Parks, preserves, and sanctuaries provide opportunities for people to interact with wildlife and enjoy nature, which can increase our understanding of the environment and foster a desire to protect it rather than abuse it. Tourons, in contrast, exploit the natural world and interrupt the connection others try to make with nature.
This can lead to stress for both wildlife and bystanders, as well as park rangers, who are charged with protecting these ecosystems.
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