The Great Debate Over Outdoor Risks户外休闲风险大论战

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Nature

The Great Debate Over Outdoor Risks户外休闲风险大论战

Should nature or people be protected,and is getting a“like”really worth it？

该保护大自然还是保护人类？为了一个“赞”真的值吗？

Shall we alter nature?

Headlines related to outdoor recreation seem to be taking a grim turn. From hikers falling off cliffs to rafters drowning in tragic accidents, it’s difficult to ignore the mortality rate that comes along with enjoying nature. In many instances, these deaths could have been prevented had systematic safety measures been taken – an extra guardrail, additional signage, the removal of a certain rock. This begs an important question: Should nature be altered by humans to make enjoying it safer?

The outdoor recreation industry seems to have two factors working to create a perfect storm of dangerous situations. First, a shocking number of people are taking up outdoor recreation for the first time and leaping into a world full of risk. Second, the internet and social media have created a sort of “FOMO” (fear-of-missing-out) effect. People see others in amazing spots, [then] track down that same spot for themselves, creating a boom in visitations to area that would generally be considered dangerous or too technical for the general public.

These two factors have made disseminating education about safely and responsibly enjoying the outdoors more crucial than ever before, but is an attempt at more thorough education enough? Should authorities take measures to protect the public when the public chooses to enter dangerous terrain? Or should the public be responsible for protecting themselves?

A perfect example

A 2010 drowning occurred in Colorado’s Arkansas River while the victim was whitewater-rafting. The victim fell out of the raft,[and was] soon pulled under a rock formation well-known and notorious for being hazardous. This sparked a debate over whether the river flow around that rock formation, or even the rock itself, should be altered. By this point, it was the fourth death resulting from the placement and shape of the rock in less than a decade. Ultimately, the decision was made to leave that spot on the river unchanged, adding to existing signage about the dangers lurking beneath the rapids.

我们应该改变自然吗？

户外的相关新闻标题似乎变得一片阴郁。徒步者坠崖、泛舟客溺毙等悲剧意外的发生，令人很难无视伴随享受大自然而带来的死亡率。在众多案例中，如果事先采取有系统的安全措施，例如加装护栏、多立些标示牌、移开某个石头等，死亡或许都可以避免。这带出了一个重要问题：为了让人们在享受大自然时更加安全，我们应该改变大自然吗？

户外休闲产业似乎有两个因素共同造成了这种危险状况齐发的恶劣局面。第一，极多人都是第一次进行户外休闲活动，进入一个充满风险的环境。第二，网络与社交媒体已打造出一种“唯恐自己错过”的效应。看到别人出现在令人啧啧称奇的地点，自己就去找出那个地方的所在，掀起一股跟风、一窝蜂跑到通常对一般人来说相当危险、或需要特定技巧才能到达的地方。

这两个因素使得教育大众注意安全、以及享受户外活动时有明智判断，比以前更显重要。然而，尝试建立完善的宣导教育就够了吗？当民众选择进入危险地域时，地方当局是否该采取行动保护大家？或者民众必须为保护自己负责？

绝佳案例

2010年科罗拉多州阿肯色河发生泛舟客溺水事件。游客从橡皮艇跌落水中，很快被水拖到一块有名的造型岩石的下方，这块岩石以危险著称。这个事件引发了一场论战，争辩是否该改变那块岩石附近水流甚至岩石本身。截至当时，那已是近十年内因岩石位置及形状所导致的第四个死亡案例。最后的决定是不改变该处的河流状况，而是在现有警告标志上加注“湍流危险”。

The decision and debate that followed

This decision to keep the river flow unaltered came due to the unknown consequences of making a change. Though similar changes have been made along rafting routes in the past to diminish risk, authorities felt that any change in this situation could go either way – potentially making the rapids safer or making it more dangerous. The final decision was made to hand-out brochures with a warning and to add additional messaging around the area in lieu of major alterations.

Looking over newspaper articles from the time, there were two clear camps in this debate. The first seemed to feel that while outdoor recreation activities do carry inherent risks, exceptional risks should be removed when possible by local authorities, even if it means changing the experience or nature itself. The second camp felt as if any alteration to nature could go against the guidelines and policies that work to protect nature from damage caused by humans.

Sometimes, diminishing the risks of nature can seem essential, even when highly intrusive – preventing rockslides, for instance. Other times, diminishing the risks of nature can make one feel guilty – adding a handrail that gets caught in the views of an otherwise unaltered spot.

Unfortunately, there might not be a silver bullet that solves this issue.

‘Be prepared’

Of course, the best safety advice for outdoor recreation is to always be prepared. Know what you’re getting yourself into and how to get out of it. If everyone came prepared, we’d probably see a lot fewer signs and alterations. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in, and public safety in the great outdoors will always be a concern.

决定与随之而来的辩论

由于不知道改变水流之后会有什么后果，因此不改变。虽然过去为了降低危险，曾沿着泛舟路线做了类似改变但当局认为，在这种状况下所做的任何改变，都会有两种可能，湍流不是变得更安全就是变得更危险。最终当局决定分发警告手册给民众、在附近设立更多警告标志以取代大规模改变。

从当时的报纸新闻看来，这场辩论明显分为两派。一派似乎觉得，虽然户外休闲活动本身确实有风险，可能的话，无论是改变休闲体验还是大自然本身，地方当局都应该消除异常的风险。另一派则觉得，对大自然的任何改变，都可能违反保护自然环境免受人类破坏的准则与政策。

有时候，即使是高度侵入性的做法——例如为了预防岩石崩落——消弭大自然的风险仍看似必要。其他时候，消弭大自然的风险或许会让人很有罪恶感——例如加装栏杆，会影响到天然的景观。

遗憾的是，可能没有一个锦囊妙计可以解决这个问题。

做好准备

当然，最好的户外休闲安全提醒，就是随时做好准备。要知道自己会陷入什么样的困境，也要知道如何让自己脱身。如果大家都是有备而来，或许标志与改变会少很多。很可惜，我们生活的世界并非如此，而大自然中的公众安全，永远是令人担忧之事。

Should human interference take place? You decide

Here’s a list of a few instances of human interference. As you read through the list, consider how you feel about each, as well as where you feel the limit of interference is.

·Maps and safety notices at a trailhead, informing passersby of risks associated with the terrain.

·Mid-trail signage at certain key points of risk and danger.

·Low-impact safety assistance tools, such as ropes to prevent slips.

·Low-visibility additions to nature, such as bolts securing rocks in place.

·High-visibility additions to nature, such as wire-netting to prevent rockslides

·High-impact safety assistance tools, such as guardrails

·Minimal altering of nature itself, such as changing the shape of a rock to prevent a dangerous rapid.

·High-impact altering of nature itself, such as removing trees and rocks from terrain to create a safe path.

·Reshaping the terrain to form a trail, often most visible when unnatural steps are encountered while hiking

As you worked your way through that list, you probably realized that there’s quite a bit of gray area.

by https://www.outtherecolorado.com

人类干预应该发生吗？你决定

下面是一些人为干扰的例子。当你阅读列表时，考虑一下你对每一项的感觉，以及你觉得干扰的极限在哪里。

·路口的地图和安全告示，告知行人与地形有关的风险。

·在某些风险和危险的关键点设置路标。

·低冲击安全辅助工具，如防止滑倒的绳索。

·自然中能见度较低的添加物，如固定岩石的螺栓。

·增加高可视性的自然景观，如防止岩崩的铁丝网

·高冲击安全辅助工具，如护栏

·尽量减少对自然本身的改变，例如改变岩石的形状以防止危险的急流。

·对自然本身进行高冲击力的改造，如清除地形上的树木和岩石，创造一条安全的道路。

·重塑地形形成步道，通常在远足时遇到不自然的步道时最明显

当你仔细研究这个列表时，你可能会发现其中有相当多的灰色区域。

Specialized Terms

mortality rate /mɔːˈtæləti/ 死亡率

guardrail /'ɡɑːdreɪl/护栏；栏杆；[铁路]护轨

whitewater-rafting急流漂流；湍流；急流

hazardous /ˈhæzədəs/有危险的；冒险的；碰运气的

notorious  /nəʊˈtɔːriəs/声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的

intrusive /ɪnˈtruːsɪv侵入的；打扰的

Hikers injured in pursuit of‘likes’

As Wilson Guarin watched the helicopter roaring above, he wondered if the men being hoisted into the sky felt the risk had been worth it.

Moments earlier, Guarin and his children had hiked to Hermit Falls in Angeles National Forest, one of the most popular waterfalls in the Los Angeles area.

Soon after they arrived, they saw a man dislocate his shoulder when he jumped into the rock pool at the base of Hermit Falls. Less than a minute later, another man jumped and appeared to break both his legs.

Guarin said the cliff jumpers’ intentions were obvious: They wanted to get a video of themselves and post it to social media.

The social media effect

A thirst among hikers, often inexperienced and underprepared, to gobble up “likes” and shares on Instagram and other social media sites has led to a significant increase in rescue missions by first responders.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Search and Rescue teams conducted 681 missions in 2017, the largest number in five years. It’s a 38% increase from the 491 rescues they did in 2013.

The teams’ leaders say the single largest factor for that increase is people posting videos of extreme activities online. Then, without any thought about the difficulty, others try to re-create their own 15-second version of glory.

On Instagram, posts from visitors venturing to waterfalls and swimming holes in Angeles National Forest and other recreation areas show hikers morphing into models, striking seemingly the same poses in the same places.

[Robert] Garcia, the fire chief for Angeles National Forest, doesn’t discourage people from enjoying the outdoors. But he points out that many accidents are avoidable and happen either when people go off trail or ignore official warnings about an area being closed go anyway.

Guarin still thinks about the two [injured] men.

“You get concerned about what people are willing to do. It’s risking everything for no reason.”[Guarin said]

徒步客为博个“赞”而受伤

威尔森·贾林看着直升机在上方呼啸而过，他心想不知被吊上天空的那个人，是不是觉得所冒的险很值得。

不久前，贾林和孩子们到天使国家森林公园的隐士瀑布徒步，那是洛杉矶地区最受欢迎的几个瀑布之一。他们抵达没多久，就看到一个人在跳下隐士瀑布底部水池时肩膀脱臼。不到一分钟，另一人也跳下，看似跌断了双腿。

贾林表示，这些跳崖的人意图很明显：他们想拍下自己的视频，上传到社交媒体。

社交媒体效应

这些通常没经验、准备不足的徒步客，因为渴望在IG与其他社交媒体网站获点“赞”及分享次数，导致紧急现场救护人员的救援任务大幅增加。

洛杉矶县警局搜救队在2017年执行了681次任务，是五年来最高。2013年只有491件，增加了38％。

搜救队领队人员表示，救援次数增加的单一最大因素，是人们将极限活动的视频上传到网络。接着，其他人没有考虑到其中难度，也想跟着创造自己光荣的15秒。

游客上传到IG一些在天使国家森林公园及其他休闲区冒险跳下瀑布及水池的照片显示，徒步客变身为模特，在相同地点摆出几乎相同的姿势。

天使国家森林公园消防队队长罗伯特·加西亚不会劝阻人们享受大自然。但是他指出，许多意外原本都是可以避免的，而它们往往是因为人们离开步道或是无视该地已关闭的官方警告，径直进入后发生的。

贾林仍然会想到那两位伤者。

“你会担心大家到底愿意做出什么样的事，这种不顾一切的冒险实在没有道理，”贾林表示。

以上文章翻译及讲解有刘凯老师完成

作者简介：刘凯，男，蒙古族，黑龙江省齐齐哈尔人。本科为哈尔滨师范大学英语系，硕士为华中师范大学汉语言文学。美国亚利桑那大学访问学者，澳大利亚新兰威尔士大学ESL研修。2018年加州理工学院语言学双学位获得者。北京市优秀青年教师，北京市级重点高中示范校骨干教师，多年高中一线执教经验，高三年级把关教师，多次参与东城区模拟试题命题工作，教学理念先进，教学成果突出，多篇教学论文获市区级奖项。教育部课题研究员，参与国家十二五课题计划，并作出突出贡献，参与初中、高中各年级区级试题的命制，多次承担区级和市级研究课任务。【详细介绍请参考百度百科、搜狗百科、360百科，搜“刘凯老师”】

北京市科技英语优秀指导教师，所带学生在各级英语口语、作文竞赛中多次获奖；刘凯老师将扎实的英语基本功和严谨的学术思想作为教学的基础，课堂上善于寓教于乐，信息量大，内容丰富，使学生在和谐的课堂气氛下欣赏英语、享受英语、掌握英语、运用英语。曾多次参加高考阅卷工作，参与人民教育出版社、北京教育出版社、外研社等各类高考教学用书的编写工作，有丰富的备考经验，国际核心期刊发表多篇论文。