Payne, in gauging the sentiments of some of his friends, says arguing that places should be protected for their intrinsic and spiritual values isn't always compelling. Here, Hyalite Reservoir at sunset is an idyll of serenity. Saying it needs to be protected from overuse may not sway his contemporaries but emphasizing that it's a source of clean drinking water and suddenly that's something more tangible, he notes. Consider the example of the Blue Mountains outside Walla Walla which he references in his column.. Photo courtesy Flickr user Kerry flickr.com/people/90616144@N00/