More on Bush privatization of public lands
February 20th, 2006
The Administration insists that their planned fire sale of 300,000 acres is of “isolated” and “valueless” land.
Is that so? Let’s take a look…
In South Carolina:
Forest Service maps show several tracts adjacent to the Needmore land in Swain County could be sold. The state owns 4,400 acres in the area and manages the land as game lands.
The Needmore tracts were bought in 2004 after a major public-private campaign to preserve the property. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service put up $2 million toward the purchase.
Hm. So this worthless land that is to be auctioned off also includes land that was previously purchased for conservation?
If the U.S. Forest Service begins selling off public lands, the agency won’t have any trouble finding buyers for land in Western North Carolina.
“I know there would be massive interest in larger tracts due to the fact there aren’t any large tracts of land left in Macon County,” said Robin Parker, owner of Cat Creek Realty in Franklin.
That’s right. Large tracts of open space are a rarity in more and more of the country. Their “value” is precisely because they are undeveloped, and they should be kept as such.
From Colorado:
The U.S. Forest Service has listed scenic land overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park and land around St. Mary’s Glacier as sites that could be sold to raise money for rural schools in 41 states.
From Missouri:
The Missouri land that might be sold is part of a once-depleted forest that public financing and decades of management have nurtured back to health.
Yes, after the public has paid for its reforestation, it’s time to sell!
Cedar Creek District Forester Carol Trokey said the land was mostly wooded, but some parcels have old fields with cedar trees. She said the parcels would be most useful for recreation or hunting.
Wait? The land would be useful for recreation or hunting? I thought that there was no recreation value in these lands?
And even some of the most anti-environment GOPers seem to be coming out against this proposal:
“Public lands are an asset that needs to be managed and conserved,” said Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho. Craig, a staunch pro-logging Republican, is right.
ACTION ALERT: Tell your members of congress to oppose public land sell-off!
Related posts: For sale: forests in the Gorge, Bend, Tahoe..., Land Auction Update, Bush wants to privatize Columbia Gorge forestland...
2 Comments Add your own
1. B and B&hellip | February 21st, 2006 at 7:30 pm
GOP Senator vows to kill Bush’s public land sell-off
Opposition to Bush’s proposed sell-off of hundreds of thousands of acres of National Forest and other public land has already grown to the point where the sale is in serious political trouble. At least two of Bush’s own party-mates can’t
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