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A very good point and a tool that works well in areas that support those initiatives. However, in less affluent parts of the country where there is either a lack of 'donations' to land trusts or lack of interest in more taxation, those tools (resources) are limited and focused on preserving critical landscapes. I'm quite certain that land trusts nationwide are struggling to compete with real estate companies for open space (i.e. price per acre). Land sold for development is quite a profitable venture for private landowners. Also, you can't lock up all the natural resources. Those remaining for extraction purposes still need to be managed properly, which takes me back to my initial question....without incentives (whatever they might be), will we do the right thing? Megan Boise, Idaho >>> Anne Peters <annep@no.address> 10/13/2004 8:26:54 AM >>> And, as an aside, if communities want to protect forest or other lands from turning into subdivisions, there are many local government tools to do so. Here in Boulder County we have thousands and thousands of acres of "open space" - land permanently protected from development with conservation easements, zoning designation, and other land use mechanisms. Citizens have almost uniformly voted over the years for small taxes to fund the purchase and maintenance of this land. Those are appropriate tools to meet such goals, not timber subsidies! Open space policies have kept the towns in Boulder County encircled by prairie and mountains, created wildlife corridors, hiking trails, etc. Places us recyclers go to recreate! Anne Gracestone, Inc. Boulder, CO 303.494.4934 vox 303.494.4880 fax |
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