I need not remind you of the fact that I believe we need 95% less federal government. Of all the government ’enterprises,’ or whatever you want to call them, undoubtedly the National Forests are the most disgusting, revolting, and pitiful of all government operations. In the first place the federal government has no deeds for them, and in actuality, technically really don’t own them at all. They belong to the individual states in which they are located, not the federal government. On July 4th, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo went into effect, and this treaty between Mexico and the United States gave most southwestern lands to the individual states, NOT the federal government. The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million for their abandonment of all claims on the lands. Repeat: The National Forest lands do not belong to the U.S. Government, and they have no deeds to them.
As usual, in summer, when it is dry especially, there are always huge forest fires. Not in privately held lands, but in National Forests, BLM (Bureau of Land Management), or other federal lands.. Fires are always in National Forests or government lands. Currently, in New Mexico and Colorado, there are two huge fires burning, and both, naturally, are in National Forests. Other fires are currently on other federal lands in western states. Why do National Forests burn? Because they are poorly cared for, which is a gross understatement. If the National Forests were cars, their oil would never be changed, they would never be washed or polished, nor any maintenance performed. If the National Forests were a home, the roof would leak, it would never be painted, or maintained, the grass would never be watered or cut, and it would be a disgrace…just like the National Forests.
If the National Forests were privately owned, would dead trees be removed? Would fire causing brush be removed? Would they be selectively logged and thinned? The National Forests now burning, are full of dead trees, killed by the Pine Bark Beetle, and are super flammable. The currently burning National Forests in Colorado and New Mexico, are thick with brush and dead things on their floors, and have not been logged in decades. Naturally, a lightning strike can easily start a fire, which almost instantly can become a first rate disaster. In the Colorado fire, already 187 homes have been consumed, millions spent spent so far, and it is 50% contained. The smoke and damage caused by government fires is incalculable. Should the government be sued for the destruction caused by their lack of management? Unfortunately, government cannot be sued without their permission.
If the National Forests were put up for sale by their non owners, and private parties bought sections of them, do you think the private owners would care for them? Would they remove dead trees, clean up the underbrush, and thin and log them selectively to make a profit? The Pine Bark Beetle thrives on thick groves of sickly trees, and they can just go from tree to tree with no interruption. Sickly, because of needing to be thinned and logged. Only National Forests will be clear cut, which can be a disaster for a forest, causing avalanches in winter, and gullies and washouts in summer from rain. Only National Forests will have ’control burns’ which often go out of control.
The federal government pays states and counties what is called “PILT,” which is ’payment in lieu of taxes’ to individual states and counties where National Forests are located. A pittance to what would be collected if the forests were privately owned. Privately owned things such as homes and cars, will always be well cared for by their owners, because they have their capital tied up in them, Renters, leasers, and non-owners of homes, cars, and forests, just usually don’t care a whit. Bureaucrats fit well into the category of those who don’t care, and even if they do care, they are usually dependent on Congress giving them funds to do their jobs, which usually isn’t forthcoming. I am certain that Forest Rangers are competent and caring, but they work for the federal government, which happens to be the most inefficient and wasteful organization in America. The federal government claims 30% of America as its property, which is disgusting. 155 National Forests, with 190 million acres are part of its claims to 650 million American acres, on which no or few taxes are paid. In burning Colorado, 36.6% is ’owned’ by the federal government, and in burning New Mexico it is 41.8%
Look at America’s farmlands, and imagine what the forests would look like if they were privately owned and farmed for profit. There are lots of privately owned forests in America, and especially in the south and northwest. These forests never burn, nor are there ’control burns,’ because they are owned by business people who want to earn a profit from their lands, and profits aren’t made with forest holdings, if they go up in smoke! Privately held forests are thinned, selectively cut and logged, and even fertilized if needed. They are beautiful, not the disgrace of America’s National Forests. Would Congress ever authorize the sale of National Forests, as they should? If only one sixth of federal lands were sold at $10,000 per acre, the national debt would be paid in full. Don’t hold your breath waiting for it!
Then we have the ’Wilderness Areas,’ claimed by the feds, where no human can enter with anything but their feet, and with permission. Nothing will be done in wilderness areas, and a recent study proves that Wilderness Areas are more liable to fire and disease than even National Forests.