The Good, The Bad, and The Slow
– By Lisa Rutherford –
Over twenty-six years have passed since the 62,000-acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve was established in Washington County. Red Cliffs NCA, created in 2009, now makes up most of the 62,000 acres established for the Reserve in 1995 and extends from Hurricane to Ivins with most of the NCA to the north of St. George above Pioneer Park, a favorite recreation area along Red Hills Parkway.
When the Red Cliffs was established in 1995, Washington County’s population was around 93,000. We now have about 186,000 residents, many of whom know little about Red Cliffs but should because it’s critically important to the well-being of this area.
The catalyst for Red Cliffs establishment was the Mojave desert tortoise, listed as threatened in the early 90s. But Red Cliffs is far more than merely a place to protect the now critically-threatened tortoise, and other threatened and endangered species. It is a place just outside our door for residents and visitors to refresh themselves through respectful recreation and escape the hustle-bustle of this county’s urban areas.
Although Red Cliffs exist on a mere 4% of Washington County’s 1,552,640 acres, this area has been fraught with controversy due to development pressure in Washington County—one of the driving factors for its creation.
One primary source of controversy has been the plan to build the Northern Corridor to move traffic from east to west across the county. The four-lane highway would cut through the heart of Red Cliffs, directly through the central area of tortoise habitat.
Now, Conserve Southwest Utah, our local conservation organization—made up of thousands of Washington County residents who love and utilize the recreational activities Red Cliffs offers—has sponsored a documentary film titled The Good, The Bad, and The Slow. Produced and directed by Hans Glasmann, the film teaches citizens about this precious area in our county and its generated controversy.
The film includes spectacular footage of wildlife in Red Cliffs, not only the desert tortoise, and stunning views of Red Cliffs while telling the well-researched story of the area and what it means to Washington County. Viewers will not only learn but will be enthralled by what they see and entertained by the humor that Glasmann brings to an otherwise serious topic. The controversial Northern Corridor highway project and the current status of that project are explained, too.
Come to the film showing, talk with the producer/director about the film’s creation, and ask questions. You will see incredible aerial shots of Red Cliffs and learn about:
- The status of Red Cliffs and challenges
- Alternatives to the Northern Corridor
- The new Zone 6 in Red Cliffs
- How Red Cliffs serves our community in so many ways
- And more!
Please join Conserve Southwest Utah and Hans Glasmann for the premiere of this important film on Friday, March 18, 2022, at the Electric Theater (68 East Tabernacle) in St. George. Purchase tickets at https://www.eventcreate.com/e/premiere. Conserve Southwest Utah is a non-profit organization.
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