The Commons

Tim Iverson

(2/2019) The "tragedy of the commons" is an idea and term originally coined in 1833. Hardly a novel idea, however the notion continues to find new and novel ways to be demonstrated. The "tragedy of the commons" is simply defined as individual users acting in their own short-term self interest to the long-term detriment (and potential destruction) of all. Originally the concept was actually intended to describe economic principles, but over the years the mantle has been maintained within environmental interests to protect "the commons," public lands and interests.

The original tragedy illustrated in 1833 starts with farmers grazing cows on a shared pasture. Everybody has one cow. Everybody grazes in the same pasture. Everybody is doing alright. One day a farmer decides if he gets another cow and grazes it in this free shared pasture he can double his economic output. He does this, others take notice of his success and follow suit. Soon there are more and more cows and less and less grass. Eventually, the commons have been overgrazed and destroyed. Now no one can make any money and there are a lot of hungry cows and sad farmers.

A few solutions arise from this problem. One solution is to privatize the commons. The notion is that by selling them, the new owner will now have incentive for personally maintaining them in order to keep generating a profit. Another is to keep the commons public, but regulate them with a governing oversight. By keeping them open, but limiting access through regulation and permitting the commons remain accessible and useable for all. The last option is to just do nothing and let the problem sort itself out. That is however unlikely, as the commons found their way into this tragedy through this avenue in the first place.

Public lands are generally considered commons. Managed by either federal, state, or local entities they are managed in such a way as to allow access and provide for the common good for everyone in perpetuity. The Organic Act of 1916 formally established the National Park Service. Its enabling legislation explicitly states its, "purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." In other words, to take care of these common goods so that everyone now and in the future can see, use, recreate, and otherwise enjoy them.

Parks protect spaces and objects that are integral to the American story and experience. Sites as magnificent as the Grand Canyon and as solemn as battlefields are to be managed for one and for all. The stories these places convey are invaluable, but they are not without value. Over the course of recent years these commons have faced more and more assaults that would imply that they are value-less. During the most recent shutdown access to the National Park system has remained open. The argument is that they are the commons, the people own them and ought to be able to use them.

Within the span of only a few weeks the commons began to degrade. National Parks have been subjected to damage that could, in some cases, take years to recover from. In other cases irreparable damage has been done to already endangered species that face the possibility of extinction within the century. Trash is abundant. The resources, which were to be protected for one and for all, are being destroyed. Without any oversight, management, or enforcement the tragedy is occuring to our collective commons. This is, of course, why there are scores of dedicated public servants maintaining public lands. The problem isn’t necessarily that there isn’t currently any adult supervision. People ought to know better.

The true test of morality though isn’t what one does when others are looking. The test is what one does when no one is looking. Federally managed lands speak to the collective histories, interests, and cultures of all of us. Between the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other land management agencies an individual can do just about anything in these commons. Hunting, fishing, camping, wildlife and plant viewing, boating, climbing, and even mineral extraction and commercial logging interests have a voice and a place to use these spaces. The only caveat is they are commons. They must be left, "unimpaired for the enjoyment (and use) of future generations."

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics outlines seven principles for ethical outdoor responsibility. Leave No Trace developed these core ideas to help guide hunters, campers, hikers, or any outdoor enthusiast into sustainable recreation and to minimize impact. Despite originally being intended for wilderness and backcountry use these guidelines are just as, if not more important, anywhere from front-country day hikes to your backyard.

Leave No Trace outlines these seven basic ideas:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors

These seven ideas could just as easily be summed up with the Golden Rule: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Rangers, biologists, and volunteers at park sites are all employed to be stewards. Stewardship of the commons isn’t limited to these professionals. Woody Guthrie wasn’t just being an idealist when he sang that this land was yours and mine. Parks in California, New York, and everywhere in between are collectively owned by all of us. They’re as much your park as they are the employees who spend careers developing and maintaining them.

Collective ownership of the commons is no different than individual ownership. It requires stewardship from both the individual and the community. Parks tell cultural, historical, and natural stories that reflect the values and identity of the nation. Personal and national heirlooms are no different. When parks shutter visitor centers and services it’s no longer up to the agency, it’s up to the individual. The commons don’t have to be a tragedy. The conscience of the collective can be its champion.