A fisherman has been convicted for disrupting a body of water at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.
Andrew Blair Howard reportedly used a shovel to dig a waterway between Lake Michigan and the nearby Platte River in an attempt to connect the two bodies of water for better boat access. Howard's waterway widened over the course of a few days with help from the natural power of the river, ultimately stretching about 200 feet wide.
Howard was convicted of two federal misdemeanors: one count of tampering and one count of vandalism, according to IFL Science.
"The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a Michigan jewel," said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. "Every year countless visitors enjoy its pristine waters, towering sand dunes, and rolling forests. Mr. Howard had a policy dispute with the National Park Service and took matters into his own hands, breaking the law rather than using lawful means to advocate for his position. His actions resulted in significant financial and ecological harm and altered the landscape so many enjoyed."
National parks and federal lands provide bountiful opportunities for cultivating an enriched appreciation for nature and the planet, but a few bad actors can make these spaces much more dangerous than they should be.
In addition to convicted people like Howard, there are also disappointingly frequent sightings of tourons (tourist morons) getting dangerously close to wildlife like elk, bison, and seals, which puts the animals, fellow parkgoers, and park employees at risk. Actions like Howard's could be even more disruptive to the natural balance of nature than the average touron's, since unnaturally connecting two bodies of water could have many unintended consequences such as habitat loss, widening the reach of an invasive species or predator, flooding, or even desiccation of areas that lose water.
Reddit users shared their outrage at Howard's actions.
"The sheer entitlement of some people, to think you deserve slightly easier boat access in one specific spot on land you don't own so you just start digging. Hope he pays to make the area whole, though it's doubtful," one user wrote.
"The guy should be banned from all US National Parks and monuments for life," another user opined.
"Punishments for damaging natural places and our wildlife need to be dramatically increased in severity," a third user noted.
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