[at-l] Public Land Needs

[Bob C." <ellen@clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"...something like 33% of the land mass of the US is now "public land".  What
>makes you think we don't have more than we need?" asks Jim, who adds, "The
>burden of proof is on you."

First Jim, these are political matters, which rarely, if ever, are subject to
"proof" as you engineers conceive of proof. People seek to protect those things
they find valuable. If those things are large land masses, usually the only
recourse is government, which after all was created to do collectively, those
things we can't do by ourselves.

 Secondly, existing public land is not terribly well distributed. Until a year
 or two ago only 5 percent of Maine was publicly owned. The percentage of "fee"
 lands continues to range close to that figure, though easements have expanded
 the areas of guaranteed public access. The nearest federal lands to my home,
 for instance, are 150 miles away in three different directions: Acadia National
 Park on the coast, a portion of the Appalachian Trail -- a narrow 200+ mile
 corridor--, and a tiny corner of the White Mountain National Forest.

 Our town land trust partnered with our local government a couple of years ago
 to buy an ocean-front beach and small old growth forest. Most townspeople tend
 to use those 88 acres far more than they use Acadia.

  Since the government's share was financed by a bond issue that passed 200-20,
  all of which will have to be paid back by the citizens of the town, I think it
  obvious that most felt this was a wise use of their collective tax
  dollars.

  A couple of weeks ago Maine used a combination of federal, state and private
  funds to protect 11,900 acres around a couple of delightful small mountains
  that had been eyed for private development. This area had been heavily used by
  the public for generations. Aside from a tiny minority of "property rights"
  fanatics, the purchase has been widely praised.

  Our land trust this week applied for a small grant from a $50 million bond
  issue dedicated to the purchase of public land in Maine. That bond issue
  passed by a 2-1 margin, both state wide and in my town.

  If one believes in Democratic government, shouldn't government do those things
  it's citizens say they want it to do? Jim. Are you arguing that before
  citizens can petition their government, that they need "proof" that the issue
  addressed is wise. If so, who do you think should determine the validity of
  the proof?

 Weary