Dear editor:

“You have been where few people will ever be,” my father would say whenever we reached the top of another mountain in the Shoshone National Forest. During any free time from farming, my family would be riding horses, camping, fishing and hunting in the mountains. I still live for exploring a new drainage on the back of a horse or hiking to the top of another mountain just to see what’s on the other side. 

I feel privileged to be living in Wyoming, where I can explore federal public lands and state trust lands out my back door. My career may be as a nurse, but I am also a horse trainer, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a volunteer for many public boards, and a woman dedicated to protecting this great state.

I look forward to hunting every fall. I have drawn some amazing big game tags all over the state: antelope, elk, deer and buffalo. A horse between my legs, a lariat in my right hand, a bow in my left hand, a rifle in my scabbard, a stethoscope around my neck, and a farmer’s shovel on my back; I am bound and determined to protect the Wyoming land I love. These public spaces have given me my greatest memories.  

Wyoming is a spectacular state. It is something I think a lot of people take for granted or at least don’t let our elected officials know how important it is to them. Speak up, Wyomingites! I truly believe the number one priority for any outdoor enthusiast is public access, and our state lands, including the Kelly Parcel near Grand Teton, are critically important.  

It’s more important now than ever for people to join together and speak out about the importance of conservation for wildlife and land management. It does not matter whether you’re walking your dog, or you’re an ice climber, a rancher riding a horse or four-wheeler, the best hunter, a mountain biker, or a little girl swimming in daddy’s favorite fishing hole. It is crucial that the Kelly Parcel and future state sections remain open to public access and are not sold to the highest bidder for development. That’s why I support adding the Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park as the best option to conserve the land and generate revenue for education. 

Be true to Wyoming, keep it wild.

Karinthia Herweyer

Cody

(Karinthia Herweyer is a fifth-generation Wyomingite raised in Powell. She received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Wyoming and now lives in Cody.)