>...the extremely serious economic conditions of New >Zealand in the early 1980s gave rise to an especially heightened sense of >urgency that something had to be done and done quickly, less the situation >deteriorate...
The Headwaters, Matters Of Principle What's wrong with this picture? Some environmentalists want $65 million and $200 million in federal land swapped for a gold mine near Yellowstone Park and the 3000 acre Headwaters forest with 2000 year old trees some up to 250 feet tall and on top of all that a 60000 acre "buffer zone" but I am not aware that any prices having been mentioned in the press. Is this being hidden from the general public which would be outraged by the real cost? In 1987 Government owned Timber Land as follows:136 million acres US, 17 million acres in California, 28% and 55% of the totals respectively 1. The owners Pacific Lumber Company says that when converted into lumber the property must be valued at $500 million. 2. 80000 acres of Redwood old growth already are now in the park system while 9000 acres remain in private hands. Thus 90% of all the Redwood Old Growth in the world today is now "protected." 3. Tomorrow is another matter. There are an additional 170000 acres of young redwoods that are held either in parks or "Public Preserves" (total 250000 acres). This is 13% of the 2000000 acres comprising the natural home of this species at this point in time i.e. 15000 years after the last ice age. Redwood has grown elsewhere. Assuming an average current age of 90 years and growing, in about 100 years the majority these reserve public stands it will become classified as old growth according to our over anxious forest regulations which are now dedicated growing scenery rather than the houses which will be needed when the grand children of the WW2 now crowding schools will begin forming families. In 500 or 1000 years these stands will have have grown up to resemble today's Big Basin and Muir Woods State Parks. The theologian Martin Buber once remarked on the faith of tree planters who can not absolutely "know" that later generations will have need their trees. Such wisdom means little to the Scenery Party operating in an static non-biological instant insatiable satisfaction mode. As there are very few recorded Redwoods exceeding the age of 2000 years. We must assume that in large part these stands will decline, die and eventually form huge jack straw piles of of very large sticks that will be especially resistant to rotting and nutrient recycling. 4. US Federal, State and County government owns too much land in both large and small parcels scattered through out US forested regions. Why? a) Tip of the iceberg evidence of this derives in part from recent public discussion on strategic land swaps. b) At a time when America recommends privatization and the discipline of market economics to the world for purposes of economic stability the Scenery Lobby agitates for acquiring more park land by any means necessary: tax payers money cash purchases, "land swaps", legal coercion, taking...and damn the fiscal consequences as long as the Scenery Lobby is appeased. Even as the treasury needs money, surplus public lands are held as pawns for park expansion swaps. What's going on here? When the Scenery Lobby in California couldn't convince our elected representatives they circumvented legislatures with voter tricking bond measures. This too powerful special interest group now promotes land swaps an easy way to tap into federal and state treasuries with out due process of law and politics. Appraising the Headwaters forest at half its market value is a joke. If permitted to cut this timber under free market conditions Maxim to will be able settle its $250 million law suit and bank another $250 million. That's fair. Then government should sell Treasure Island at public auction. Who knows if the same appraisers who valued the Headwaters did the T.I. job it may also bring in double the appraised figure. Sell the surplus land in Wyoming and the American people may recover $7.565 Billion. Real money eh what? It has to be spent wisely. We need to devote our political energies to more important things. If for example if the Scenery Lobby is not reigned in we will have more parks, diminished education, more prisons where in the human results of such foolishness will be kept almost out of sight and mind, as part a vast and ridiculous landscaping program . George Pope 2280 Bunker Hill Dr., San Mateo CA 94402, 415 574 2799, gpope@cris.com, 9/18/96
George Pope, 2280 Bunker Hill Dr, San Mateo CA 94402, 415 574 2799, gpope@cris.com
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