[Vision2020] LMT -- Everyone hears this tree fall

[Mark Solomon]

This is the letter I sent to the Tribune and our local legislators 
after reading the article Dan posted below. DANG, is right!

Mark Solomon

It is very interesting to note that when Potlatch spokesman Mark 
Benson discussed solutions to the problems of motorized recreation 
abuse of Potlatch lands with the Legislature, the solutions he 
proposed all centered on how much money Potlatch could lift out of 
public treasury into their own wallet. Glaringly missing from the 
proposals was the one that not only makes the most sense but would 
benefit all private forest landowners: pass laws that would give 
local law enforcement the ability to arrest, prosecute fine and jail 
people who destroy gates, mud bog, pioneer trails, destroy seedlings 
and otherwise damage private property with off-road motorized 
vehicles. It is time for the Legislature to update the trespass laws 
to meet this very real threat to public access to private land. The 
public at large should not be paying for the very real damage caused 
by motorized recreation abusers. Potlatch should be seeking solutions 
to the problem, not balancing their checkbook with the public 
treasury.




At 7:48 AM -0800 1/26/06, Area Man \(Dan C\) wrote:
>I'm all for private property rights, but DANG!  This could affect a lot
>of people.
>-----------------------
>Everyone hears this tree fall
>
>By DEAN A. FERGUSON of the Tribune
>
>BOISE -- Potlatch Corp. could lock up 670,000 acres in the heart of
>north central Idaho, ending a 102-year legacy of free public use.
>The company's land holdings include 54,000 acres in the St. Joe River
>Basin that could be protected from development if a deal to buy
>development rights is finalized.
>
>Closing the 670,000 acres from Coeur d'Alene to Orofino is a real
>option, Potlatch spokesman Mark Benson told a joint meeting between
>House and Senate environment and resources committees Wednesday.
>
>"The bottom line is public use of private forest land is on the
>increase," Benson said.
>
>Potlatch Corp. loses about $300,000 a year to people who destroy
>seedlings with snow machines and four-wheelers, wreck roads with
>mud-bogging pickup trucks and leave a trail of litter and busted gates.
>
>There are other options to closing the land, Benson said.
>
>The company could lease access to private or state interests, sell
>access permits, or sell conservation easements to retain public access
>and stop development.
>
>Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, organized three days of hearings at the
>Statehouse to deal with the "emerging issue" of access.
>
>"Private land has value," Schroeder said. "People are willing to pay for
>sporting access."
>
>The issue arose on the East Coast 15 years ago and has finally arrived
>in Idaho, Schroeder said. He hopes the state can find ways to keep open
>lands the public has used for hunting, berry picking and exploring for
>generations.
>
>A couple of lawmakers expressed surprise to hear that a deal in the St.
>Joe Basin was in danger of collapsing.
>
>"If we want to help with this easement program, how much money would it
>take to match the 25 percent nonfederal match to finish the St. Joe
>project?" asked Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum.
>
>The deal needs $2 million in private or state money to match $8 million
>in federal money, Benson said. He added, however, that Bush
>administration cuts make federal dollars through the U.S. Forest Service
>tougher to come by. For that money, the easement would effectively tie
>up a total of 80,000 acres of Potlatch Corp. land, Benson said.
>
>Schroeder told the Lewiston Tribune he would support an effort to find
>the money, possibly looking for it in the Idaho Department of Fish and
>Game budget.
>
>By closing Potlatch land, the company also might cut off access routes
>into public land, noted Sen. David Langhorst, D-Boise, who is a hunter
>and fisherman.
>
>Benson didn't have the figures but pledged to let lawmakers know how
>much public land the closure of Potlatch Corp. forests would seal off.
>
>"We could spend $2 million to build an equestrian center or $2 million
>to secure 80,000 acres for Idaho hunters, fishermen and families for
>perpetuity," Langhorst said.
>
>Langhorst was referring to Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's proposal to pay $2
>million for about 30 to 40 acres of land next to J.R. Simplot's Boise
>mansion, which was donated to the state. The land includes a horse barn.
>
>
>Benson said Potlatch is not close to a decision about how to deal with
>the issue of access to its forests. He also said the company's new
>status as a real estate investment trust has no bearing on the outcome
>of the decision.
>
>It's a decision that will include consideration of the company's
>102-year heritage, the company's neighbors and the company's
>shareholders.
>
>"We believe we get one chance to do this right," Benson said.
>----------------------------------------------
>Tread lightly, Moscow,
>
>DC