Our mountain regions are unique and beautiful places. We must preserve them for future generations. One of the most serious thre
ats to our mountains is ridgetop development. Large housing developments built on steep slopes and along mountain ridges are unsightly. Also, they adversely affect the scenic views that draw tourists to our region each year. Who wants to drive to the mountains to see not the lovely tree-covered outline of the gently sloping mountain ridges against the sky, but rows of houses jutting from the ridges and slopes with little or no tree cover between them? With tourism as the biggest industry in our area, maintaining our scenic ridgelines is crucial to continued economic success here. Ridgetop development not only detracts from scenic mountain views and threatens our area’s top industry, it also harms the environment. Stripping large areas to create multiple building sites removes the trees and other plants. These resources provide natural erosion barriers on steep slopes. Large housing developments on ridges often increase erosion and runoff into streams and rivers. What is the purpose of this essay?
