Public Lands
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In a recent editorial in the Jackson Hole Guide, Luther Propst of Jackson asserts that conservationists needed to keep in mind that many public lands recreationalists have a common interest in protecting the land. (see Propts piece here http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/opinion/guest_shot/fun-hogs-and-the-future-of-conservation/article_f98a41a3-6dd0-5915-b166-fe0a5b898138.html) Recreationists like mountain biking proponents could be allies in efforts to protect wildlands as designated wilderness for…
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Only one person testifies in favor of Idaho taking the public lands from the United States- Recent months have seen a stall in efforts by right wing rural elites to transfer the public lands from their historic ownership by the Unites States and give them to the states. Public opinion surveys show the public doesn’t…
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The merging of the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests offers opportunity to plunder- Two very important national forests in north central Idaho were recently combined through administrative action. The Clearwater and the Nez Perce National Forests both operate under separate forest management plans, developed after years of analysis and public comment. There was even…
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Importance of fighting to keep the public land public grows with likely Republican Senate win in November- Even though most of the public opinion in the West does not favor giving the national parks, forests, BLM lands and wildlife refuges to the states, this is a priority among conservative elites in the West. The polls…
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Only Utah shows majority in favor of states getting hold of U.S. public lands- A public opinion poll of 200 people in each of the eight Intermountain western states has shown a majority (52 to 42 %) are against transferring the federal lands to the Western states. In total, 1600 were interviewed. A slight majority of Utahans…
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If the public really understood the illogic behind Forest Service management, including those endorsed by forest collaboratives, I am certain there would be more opposition to current Forest Service policies. First, most FS timber sales lose money. They are a net loss to taxpayers. After the costs of road construction, sale layout and environmental analyses,…
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About the time Cliven Bundy and his supporters were making the BLM fold and sneak way, southern Utah malcontents were staging an illegal ATV ride through a closed-to-motor-vehicles trail in southern Utah. The place was Recapture Canyon on May 10. Off-road vehicle interests were irritated about the closure of the archeologically rich canyon and other…
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In an ongoing effort to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, Friends of the Clearwater released a report today that critically examines the Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC) Agreement and Work Plan. If enacted by Congress, the agreement would put into place provisions that are incompatible with the Wilderness Act, potentially causing a ripple…