We are putting cell phone towers in the forests for safety, tourists and Forest Service Workers. Sounds like a good idea alright. They will also help when fighting fires, as they add a net-centric component to the ever-increasing fire fighting technologies to extinguish the big ones. Of course some will complain as they are hiking thru paradise or fly fishing that someone's phone rings? Yes, but if you get injured, lost or the weather gets you, well then you will be darn happy to see four or five bars on the signal strength won't you?
Currently the National Park Service is taking solicitations from telecoms to build these cell towers in the parks. Some believe there will be safety concerns while people travel on the meandering wined barely two-lane roads, others see it as a way to get the public to come out and see the great attributes of our national parks and protect people who come to visit. Likewise more eyes and ears and cell phones means safer forests, quicker response times, less deaths and bad public relations.
Other things which have not been discussed in the possibility of migrating animals tripping sensors and those sensors calling into a central computer tracking the endangered species and alerting authorities of potential problems with chronic waste disease, auto accidents from deer strikes or wolves and bears getting too close to camping areas.
Additionally the abundance of microwaves although very minimal power could have an effect on life in the forests and perhaps even stimulate the brains of larger predator mammals, which could make them smarter or allow them greater cognitive abilities. The waves might increase or decrease reproductive rates. The fact is we do not know what will happen. But being able to pinpoint accident victims, those caught in avalanches, stuck in weather, in the path of fires will be an absolute plus indeed. Being able to quickly quadrangulate the exact location using 3G wireless technologies can help us manage our forestlands better and prevent catastrophe. Think on this, as it appears no one else is.
Lance Winslow VII
