Dear HCN,
I have long appreciated
High Country News’ in-depth treatment of natural resource issues.
While I have not always agreed with your conclusions, I have
usually believed that articles were thoroughly researched and
conclusions were based upon objective analysis of the facts as they
were known. One recent exception was the May 2 “Opinion” on the
role of the U.S. Forest Service in the Chapman land
exchange.
The opinion strongly criticizes a
recently consummated land exchange between the Forest Service and
Thomas Chapman, the former owner of private land which was being
developed within the West Elk Wilderness on the Gunnison National
Forest. That land exchange allowed the Forest Service to acquire an
essential private inholding and protect the wilderness from further
development. In return, the Forest Service conveyed approximately
107 acres of land in the vicinity of
Telluride.
Steve Hinchman alleges the Forest
Service was snookered and conveyed to Mr. Chapman property in
excess of the value of the land we got from him and makes numerous
unfounded allegations about the legality of the transaction and the
motives of the persons involved. The article attempts to malign the
motives and integrity of Mr. Chapman for developing the West Elk
lands. We neither condemn nor support Mr. Chapman. We merely note
for the record that he owned the West Elk land and had the right of
a private landowner, by law, to the reasonable use and enjoyment of
his land. Mr. Chapman exercised his rights by constructing a
building on what was then his land within the West Elk
Wilderness.
The article also alleges a disparity
in the values of the properties being exchanged. This claim is
simply erroneous. The law requires that the properties be of equal
value. The Forest Service used several fully licensed and qualified
professional land appraisers to assess the values, and they
concluded that the equivalent valuation is correct. They also
identified major flaws in the appraisal valuations submitted by
opponents of this land exchange. Thus, there is no basis for the
contention that the government is buying out Mr. Chapman at
inflated prices.
The Forest Service has pursued
the acquisition of the West Elk Wilderness properties for over a
decade. The reason is simple. Under the Wilderness Act, publicly
owned lands within wilderness areas must be managed to preserve
their wilderness character without roads, structures or other
evidence of man’s activities. It is very difficult to accomplish
those goals when privately owned lands within the wilderness are
being developed. Congress did not grant the Forest Service
authority to acquire wilderness inholdings without the consent of
the owner. Lacking the funds to acquire title to these lands, we
were left with no other option but to seek an equal value exchange
of lands.
Elizabeth
Estill
Lakewood,
Colorado
Elizabeth Estill is the Rocky Mountain Regional Forester for the Forest Service.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Editorial was biased.
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