Representatives from the tourism industry, media and Park County Environmental Council, or PCEC, took to the skies from Livingston’s Mission Field in a 1978 Cessna Turbo 210 on Monday to fly over Paradise Valley.
PCEC is a Livingston-based nonprofit promoting sustainable human activity to safeguard area land, water and wildlife.
The environmental group partnered with EcoFlight, a nonprofit charter group, which uses air travel to advocate for the protection of area wildlife and land preservation.
“We are here today because Referendum 1 was stopped,” said Karrie Kahle, director of business partnerships for PCEC, referencing the failed ballot initiative to abolish Park County’s growth policy in the June 4 election.
Kahle explained the environmental council was proceeding with initiatives to raise awareness on improving the county’s growth policy based on community feedback, after the original one was preserved. She said the two scenic flights on Monday of both Paradise Valley and Shields Valley were designed to be a first step to garner public interest and raise awareness through striking visuals of unbridled human encroachment in the area.
Seabring Davis, vice president of PCEC and former co-owner of Chico Hot Springs, verbally pointed out points of interest on the aerial tour of Paradise Valley. Tour pinpoints included lots with new homes, junkyards and their stark contrast to land preserved by the Arthur M. Blank Foundation and the 944,000 acre Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness.
“You can’t mitigate development without a growth policy,” said Davis, explaining area resorts can have more than 200 guests on weekends without any impact licensing or permitting.
