> fra: mike wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > From: "William Robb" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "mike wilson" > > > > > Most Britons (maybe mainland Europeans as well?) will find it amusing > > > that > > > you (generic you) are getting rather exercised about the idea of being > > > charged for photography when you have to _pay to get into_ your > > > "National" > > > Parks.... > > > > It's a no win situation. The parks have to be maintained, which costs > > money, > > so they put an admission fee on entrance to the park to partially cover > > this > > cost. > > People get worked up because the parks belong to the people, so they > > shouldn't pay admission. > > I guess they think other people should work for free...... > > > > Perhaps the best way is to do it through the tax base, therefore it > > wouldn't > > matter if you use the park or not, you could take respnsibility for > > maintaining it as part of your responsibilities as a citizen. > > Of course, taxes would then go up....... > > > > That's the way it works in the UK. Like medicine, et al, National Parks are > part of everyone's culture so > everyone should pay for them. At least, I assume that's the rationale.
It's the same here, except that we have so large areas and relatively few visitors we don't have to worry much about maintenance. Also, we have the right to go and camp wherever we want in the forests and mountains, no matter who owns it, as long as it's more than a certain distance from the nearest house. Hunting and fishing is restricted and you can't ruin anything or take rare stones or plants with you. Some paths are marked by an organization (DnT), and this is partially payed for by it's members, but using them is free for all. DagT
