When the mountains are all gone, what will be left?

A Nature Conservancy ecologist once said, “We are drowning in information and starving for wisdom.” That aptly expresses my frustration with the mountain top / steep slope development in our community. Irreversible environmental damage and the economic impact of destroying our mountains will be devastating to the tourism industry. When the mountains are no longer beautiful, tourists will go elsewhere. Is tourism income not as critical to the local economy as construction? The difference is the building bubble will eventually burst, leaving us with a plethora of monopoly homes and McMansions — and the majestic mountains will be gone.