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Selling Iowa's Public Land

ElkHunter

ElkHunter

Life Member
We have two legislators that on several occasions have brought up the idea that we should sell what small amount of public land we have in this state, they just keep bringing it up. I believe both are freshman legislators and list farming as occupations. They are getting some bad information and need to be nudged away from this poorly conceived idea. They feel since our state is in a real budget crunch, we should have a fire sale and get rid of what public land we have.

Not sure if they realize how little public areas there are in this state. I think Iowa is ranked 45th or 46th in the nation in the number of acres. These areas are used for much more than just hunting, these are multi use areas.

Another key fact they need to realize is that those acres were bought with Wildlife Trust Funds, no general funds were used. Sportsmen of this state paid for those public acres and they should not be sold off to try and balance the general budget.

Mr. Marek represents Washington County and Mrs. Sweeney represents Hardin County.

Everyone should send them an email, especially anyone that lives in those two counties.

<span style="color: #009900">Please be polite and respectful. </span>


E-mail: larry.marek@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 1741 Riverside Road, Riverside, IA, 52327

E-mail: annette.sweeney@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 21547 Hwy S27, Alden, IA, 50006
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> this is gonna be difficult </div></div>


Be nice.... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
that was harder than i thought it was going to be. that has to be one of the STUPIDEST ideas i have ever heard.
 
Seriously?
Not like they have filed legislation, but they just keep bringing it up and that's something you don't even want on the radar screen. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif
 
i got a response already

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi Troy, My question arose as a result of seeing a 1.9 million asking due to the crop losses on 44,000 acres at a time when the state is a world of financial difficulty. I am not pursuing the sale of any acres, as I know that we need recreational acres, that can be pursed with easements on grasslands and hunting ground. They said they will be pursuing more use of easements in the future. Thanks for your concern. Sincerely, Rep. Larry Marek </div></div>
 
Keep in mind if some bill does get introduced you better believe they aren’t selling their precious bike trails and city parks, this is going to be timber, crp, hunting land.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Brent,

Thank you for your concern.

I do know about the purchasing from different sportsmen etc and I had asked for a breakdown of how the ground was purchased.

Where did you get your information? I find it quite interesting that a few members just wanted them to look into just the tillable land that is being farmed right now. Not recreational land.

There are 44,000 acres that are being farmed right now and not hunted. I also find it interesting that they are spending 1.3 million dollars on purchasing more ground this year when they are talking about layoffs and people not having a job plus they are understaffed to take care of the property that they own now.

I in no way, shape, or form wanted to take hunting, wetlands, or the flood prone areas away. The money would not have gone back into the general fund but to help shortfalls in study areas and improvements. All this was was an idea and we wanted to explore and get information on and make it clear to the committee how the purchasing of land is handled.

Thanks for writing so I could clear this up!

Annette



</div></div>

My response - sounds like the idea was to maybe sell off the tillable acres only ??
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: teeroy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">why sell, when they could (and normally do) cash rent out the farm ground? </div></div>

Great point teeroy, in iowa these pratices(ag) add to the habitat. Or at least they use to. They also should produce income to off set other operating expences. These ag acres can alway be developed into native grass land. Once it is gone it is gone. I would expect these questions to come up from time to time as new Legisators feel their way around. It sounds like these two are listening.
 
Aren't the acres being farmed also hunted every fall. The farmed lands produce pheasants, quail, rabbits, deer, fur bearers, turkeys and plenty more game animals and predators to be hunted. If these farm-able acres are sold where do the upland hunters go and what do they get for their dollars spent to enhance the Iowa outdoors experience? I don't see any difference if it is farm-able land, timber land, or wet lands. Why should those be sold off instead of Terrace Hill or much of the high dollar state owned real estate in down town Des Moines?
 
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