[birding] Fwd: open access to new green spaces-another side of the coin

[hatlevis at comcast.net]

(I'm resending this because I think I forgot to use plain text)...

The access to areas is the same in Norway as Sweden. Everyone there seems to have a very "outdoors" attitude. My limited experience is that vandalism is almost non-existent there as compared to what I've seen in the US. I have my theories, but this is not the forum. 

I understand and respect the need for limited access to sensitive areas that are being developed as safe spaces for birds and other wildlife. Maybe a possibility is to inquire as to planned, controlled trips to help with bird counts and the like. As you know Finley bars access to the marsh at certain times of the year, but it is nice to have the blind put in. 

My husband and I have been privileged to have access to private property due to his relationship with farmers (remember Green Island). It is amazing just how blatantly kids and others trespass in these areas causing a lot of damage and mayhem. This includes homeless folks, which is a sad state of affairs. Farmers can't patrol all of their property all the time and the amount of theft in the south valley has been astounding. Loss of costly tools and equipment, theft of very expensive irrigation pipe (anything metal), damage to buildings (after replacing locks, someone literally rammed a truck through the door to a tool shed to break in again), damage to crops (people racing around in very wet ground), etc. etc. We've run into people on dirt bikes and there is always the ubiquitous shooting of guns. There is also the constant drop off of unwanted pets, unwanted furniture & the like. There has been little action by the authorities even when "everyone knows" who's doing the theft (believe me, everyone knows everyone). There have been meth labs and stashes of stolen goods literally hidden underground. Farmers speak of taking the law into their own hands because of their constant frustration, and they all have guns. There are areas that were accessible that have been cut off due to excessive vandalism, pollution, and off-road driving. Heck, someone even climbed the poles and clipped off the power lines in the countryside around Harrisburg to get the metal, all in broad daylight. The power just went off in mid-day! 

I can't blame the private landowners for not wanting public access considering what they see happen even when land is posted as private; put yourself in their shoes. 

I'm sure that we on this list serve are heartsick about this type of behavior, and I don't understand it myself. I shouldn't get started-but just think of all those ads showing trucks barreling through streams and the open countryside or along a beach as if they cause no damage. It makes me mad every time I see this, and we all have heard about the bird slaughter on the beaches by racing drivers. So, I will end this tirade now. Susie in Corvallis