[Vision2020] Public Land is Irreplaceable

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (September 19, 2010) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with
special thanks to Cheryl Halverson of Tensed.

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Public land is irreplaceable

In Marla Bieker's Sept. 6 Her View "Land swap would benefit all parties,"
she waxes eloquent about what the public would gain from the acquisition
of old railroad checkerboard lands in the Upper Lochsa currently owned by
her employer, Western Pacific Timber. But she forgets that much of the
argument is not over whether the Forest Service should obtain the Upper
Lochsa land but over how they should obtain it. The exchange, as currently
formulated, serves the interests of Western Pacific Timber above all else.

Is it appropriate to trade away accessible, heavily used, properly managed
public land that serves for recreation, hunting, fishing and timber sales
within 30 minutes to an hour drive time from population centers or even
just out the backdoor for many rural residents?

Is it appropriate to trade land we all own to benefit a private entity
that plans to resell it at a profit? Isn't that just a government handout?

Accessible public land is irreplaceable. Its loss alters the fabric of our
communities and affects many livelihoods. An exchange which involves a net
loss of these unique public lands is not in our best interest. There are
other ways to acquire the Upper Lochsa.

Cheryl D Halverson, Tensed


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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown