To the Editor:

I am writing in support of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s decision to close the hiking trail at Glen Onoko Falls. The official mission statement of the Pennsylvania Game Commission reads as follows: To manage and protect wildlife. To manage wildlife habitat. To inform and educate the public on wildlife and safe hunting practices.

It is largely due to the professionalism of the Pennsylvania Game Commission that many plant and animal species that were in steep decline or on the brink of extinction a few decades ago are now making a comeback in Pennsylvania. The game commission is under no obligation to allow public access to its land for any recreational activities other than hunting. Over the past decade or so the game commission has generously allowed visitors access to the scenic falls trail, diverting manpower and resources away from their intended purpose into activities such as trail maintenance and “search and rescue” operations for lost and injured hikers.

The public will not suffer as a result of this decision. There are hundreds of spectacular waterfalls throughout the Poconos, many of them located on public land with well-maintained trails that allow visitors to hike safely and view the falls at close range without risk of injury or damage to wildlife habitat.

Juliet Perrin

Albrightsville