To the editor:
Recently, President Bush restated his commitment to preserving America's wetlands. Wetlands are unique ecosystems that are valuable habitats for a wide variety of birds, animals, reptiles and amphibians. Salt Lake County has a wonderful wetland in Wheeler Farm.Many people know Wheeler Farm as a "working farm" with animals and wagon rides. Others know it as a park that is different from either Liberty of Sugarhouse parks because Wheeler Farm is also a wetland habitat. Wheeler Farm is a special park that provides excellent bird watching with many birds stopping on their seasonal migrations.
The peaceful country setting gives Wheeler Farm a character that needs to be nurtured, maintained and preserved, not developed and exploited.
Because the adjacent properties have been privately owned by longtime residents, most of the area is a wildlife habitat with wetlands and woods. There are pheasants, quail, doves, owls and hawks and numbers other birds. There are also deer, squirrels and frogs.
Once their habitat is destroyed by excessive or inappropriate use, these birds and animals will vanish as they have in the rest of Salt Lake's parks. One of the most tragic losses would be the frogs; they cannot run or fly away.
As a longtime friend of Wheeler Farm, I love to go there to bird watch, to listen to the frogs and crickets and to watch the sunsets. I often take special walks just to pick up the litter that accumulates from the many visitors.
I believe that we shouldn't waste Utah, that it is up to each of us to help maintain and preserve the natural beauty and resources of our pretty great state.
Salt Lake County has a unique treasure and opportunity in Wheeler Farm to preserve a slice of pioneer life along with the natural habitat and wildlife. If Wheeler Farm continues to be developed, the wetlands will be destroyed and the very qualities that make the farm "historic" will be gone forever.
Let's be good stewards and protect and preserve Wheeler Farm and the surrounding area. We do not need or want a California-style Knotts Berry Farm.
Ted Prows
Salt Lake City