October 1, 2006

By Julie Kay Smithson propertyrights@earthlink.net

http://www.PropertyRightsResearch.org (5-star rating at Amazon.com!)

Good day, folks! October arrived at its most glorious: fields of ripe corn and [soy]beans, livestock "hairing up" for winter, trees turning from green to gold, orange, red and all the variations in between, nights in the forties and days -- well, days in the fifties, sixties, seventies, or eighties. It is, after all, Ohio, and while it got to sixty yesterday, the record high for that day was 92. Like many places this time of year, you never know how to dress for the day, and often have to change more than once! Just as the hollyhocks are finishing blooming, the mums are starting, so there are clumps of brick red, bright yellow, lavender, white, and rust just beginning to light up the yard!

There will be more updates by fine webmaster Gerry to come in the next day or so, but for now, here are the most current.

Please note the reminder about the very important meeting [Topic: Fire] in Okanogan, Washington, this Wednesday, the 4th, and please try to either attend or get someone you know to do so. This meeting is chaired by the House Forest and Forest Health Congressional Subcommittee, at the behest of Washington State Congresswoman Cathy McMorris, and those good people impacted by FIRE need to be at this meeting to tell their stories. It's an important opportunity and one that doesn't often happen in the same place where the fires burn hundreds of thousands of acres at a crack -- more than 300,000 in eastern Washington this year alone.

Also to come this week are my comments regarding the Canada Lynx Draft Economic Analysis of Critical Habitat Designation. Do you live or vacation in Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, or Washington, or have friends or family that do? News stories on this appear to be confined to Montana and a mere two articles in Minnesota, so many of you are likely unaware of this action by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The federal government wants to control over 8 million acres of private property in five states as “Critical Habitat” for the Canada Lynx. The only problem: USFWS admits it won't really help the Lynx. The proposal's known economic impacts approach a Billion dollars and its potential impacts are staggering -- a multi-billion dollar hit on Rural America. Although this is the same thing many of us commented on back in April (see: http://www.propertyrightsresearch.org/2006/articles04/lynx_comments.htm), your comments now are critical for Human Habitat and OWOL (Our Way Of Life). Please take the five minutes to help yourself, and comment now, whether you commented in April or not. The comment period for this proposal has been reopened. Please comment now, even if you have commented during the prior comment period. The new comment deadline is Wednesday, October 11th, 2006. Visit http://www.LynxNotHiJinks.com (& the USFWS site:

http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/lynx/econanalysis.htm) for more. You may submit comments by email, either at http://www.lynxnothijinks.com/comment_now.htm or FW6_lynx@fws.gov, or by snail mail: Lynx, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Montana Field Office, 585 Shepard Way, Helena, MT  59601. Questions? Call 406-449-5225 Ext. 208.

Canada Lynx Maps

• Preliminary map (June 2005) showing Canada Lynx Recovery Areas
• Map of Lynx Primary Areas of Occurrence (Primary Habitat) in the Contiguous United States

Maps showing the proposed designation of lynx habitat

• Maine
• Minnesota
• Northern Rockies (Montana & Idaho)
• North Cascades, Washington

Narrative Descriptions of above mentioned maps

• Maine
• Minnesota
• Northern Rockies (Montana & Idaho)
• Northern Cascades, Washington

 Thanks to the folks who sent donations recently; your help is appreciated as much as it is needed! Sincerely, your Ohio friends,

Julie Kay Smithson and Wiggles Blue Heeler the wonder dog!