Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Preservation and Nature Conservancy

[Buzz Burrell (72253.2101]

Rob wrote, very much in part:

>It was a real insiders deal and it made me very
>suspicious of the Nature Conservancy. They did put some strict development
>easements on the property before selling it, but they were not what my
>neighbor had wished for, which was to open his land for public enjoyment and
>camping.  

Remarkable story.  Too bad the local director sullied the reputation of a
national organization with back door personal dealings.  Is this a Washington
thing?  ;-)  I recall a few years ago the timber industry pointed the director
of one of the biggest anti-logging groups in the area had just build a rather
large and luxurious log home for himself.

Overall, I think the NC does real well.  A friend of mine is a NC Director up on
the Yampa in NW CO, and has set up a rancher group to act as locals to protect
the habitat and historic uses of the area.  I don't think the NC acts to provide
public enjoyment or camping.  

Nationally, I think the existing Wilderness Areas are in fairly good shape.  The
BLM and FS administered lands have always been a continual battleground since
inception, and now the Parks are as well, to a lesser extent.  It appears we
need the two pronged approach of supporting environmental groups while at the
same time taking care of our own private land.  We can never buy enough land to
protect an ecosystem, but we can do our share with what we do manage.

Buzz Burrell
Paonia, CO