Re: Destruction of Wild CP

Ron Lane (rl7329@sprynet.com)
Thu, 14 Nov 1996 16:36:12 -0800


><<snip - snip>> Rick Walker wrote:
>This next year, my highest priority is to incorporate the ICPS as a
>501-C3 non-profit organization. We will be modifying our by-laws soon
>to accomplish this. I would like to set up the ICPS structure so that
>we can buy and steward patches of habitat in the fashion of Nature
>Conservancy. Non-profit status will allow us to accept tax-deductible
>contributions, and to apply for government and corporate sponsorship. I
>believe that this is necessary.

I'll definitely support you here. Each year I donate funds to TNC and now
with this, I'll starve the kids a bit more and send you some $$$ for
something productive. 8^) Hopefully with some CP stewards nearby watching
over, the plants won't get ripped off.

Will we use this land for exclusively preservation (ie: keep it hidden and
semi-secret to protect the plants) or use it for education to further the
cause (ie: boardwalks and school field trips)?
>
>I also believe that this is only a stopgap measure. We also need to do
>what we can to allow the larger public to empathize with the habitats,
>the plants, and the animals that live in these habitats.

I'd like to believe in John Q. Public also but I'm a tad reluctant. The urge
to clear land and build homes* seems to overrule other priorities.

* - homes is inclusive of parking lots, shopping centers, factories, etc. in
this context.

>The government has no real power to make lasting change. It only acts
>as an agent of the people. People like you and me are the only way that
>these plants will be saved - not a conservation bill in congress.
>You could work *really hard* to get a bill passed, but without wide
>support of the people, it would simply be opposed and eliminated, in
>short-order by other special-interest groups.

Widespread support of the people is good and probably necessary for
realistic change/reform but if we wait for this to happen, we'll lose a lot
of land/plants that will be tough to get back (how many parking lots have
ever been successfully reclaimed and repopulated with native flora/fauna?)

Ron
Ron Lane
RL7329@sprynet.com
Central NJ, USA