Many of us care deeply about the public lands. We own them and we feel we must preserve them intact to pass on to our children and grandchildren. But many more people don't share our hopes. They want instant gratification. They feel the patrimony locked away is useless and they would clean out the savings account now. But a patrimony isn't the same as a savings account which can be built back up again. Onçe dispersed among the inheritors it is not restored- it ceases to exist. Once the public lands are sold off they are not coming back and we'll all be the poorer.
Not everything can be monetized. Open landscapes that ease the eye, the smell of the desert after a rain, the quiet and the wind, the dark nights full of stars, the crunch of the uneven ground under ones feet. How do we set prices on those things? Do we really want to live in an urbanized globe- a world of shopping malls and parking lots? Do we truly want an exploited world?
Here is another view on the value of BLM sales to private individuals.
I live adjacent to some BLM land in the Mojave Desert. It’s small by BLM standards, 40 acres, and has been vacant for the 45 years I have been here. It just sits there and is not productive in any way and is of course taking off the property tax rolls. It was also recently completely burned off in the Bobcat fire a few years ago. There are many such properties scattered around the Western States, some as small as 2 ½ acres. I see no reason why such properties should not be made available to the general public – after all, as citizens of the United States we do own them – they belong to us!
In my opinion such BLM properties should be made available at below market value. After being shuttled around to three different BLM offices I have finally reached a BLM “real estate specialist” and attempting to determine if they are willing to sell this inhospitable and totally neglected land. I would like to explore the possibility of planting some desert friendly trees which would help preserve the soil. I think that such sales represent a valuable case which would be a benefit to the government and citizens. So, my conclusion is that we should be open to BLM sales of public property that may benefit individuals and the environment.
Many of us care deeply about the public lands. We own them and we feel we must preserve them intact to pass on to our children and grandchildren. But many more people don't share our hopes. They want instant gratification. They feel the patrimony locked away is useless and they would clean out the savings account now. But a patrimony isn't the same as a savings account which can be built back up again. Onçe dispersed among the inheritors it is not restored- it ceases to exist. Once the public lands are sold off they are not coming back and we'll all be the poorer.
Not everything can be monetized. Open landscapes that ease the eye, the smell of the desert after a rain, the quiet and the wind, the dark nights full of stars, the crunch of the uneven ground under ones feet. How do we set prices on those things? Do we really want to live in an urbanized globe- a world of shopping malls and parking lots? Do we truly want an exploited world?
Parcels may seem inconsequential. It’s the PRECEDENT that is bad news
Here is another view on the value of BLM sales to private individuals.
I live adjacent to some BLM land in the Mojave Desert. It’s small by BLM standards, 40 acres, and has been vacant for the 45 years I have been here. It just sits there and is not productive in any way and is of course taking off the property tax rolls. It was also recently completely burned off in the Bobcat fire a few years ago. There are many such properties scattered around the Western States, some as small as 2 ½ acres. I see no reason why such properties should not be made available to the general public – after all, as citizens of the United States we do own them – they belong to us!
In my opinion such BLM properties should be made available at below market value. After being shuttled around to three different BLM offices I have finally reached a BLM “real estate specialist” and attempting to determine if they are willing to sell this inhospitable and totally neglected land. I would like to explore the possibility of planting some desert friendly trees which would help preserve the soil. I think that such sales represent a valuable case which would be a benefit to the government and citizens. So, my conclusion is that we should be open to BLM sales of public property that may benefit individuals and the environment.