* Extensive roadless areas-vast, self-regulated landscapes-free of mechanized human use and the sounds and constructions of modern civilization; * Viable, self-reproducing populations of all native species, including large predators; * Natural patterns of diversity at the genetic, species, ecosystem, and landscape levels.)

(Another note from Jim V. in Minnesota: A few words from me on the "War" here at home: In Minnesota these same things are happening and have been [happening] for years. Up until Republican Party leadership changed and we had a "Land Rights Taskforce", there was a ... movement in our state to protect private property rights. If I recall correctly, every state and federal lawmaker in Minnesota received copies of Dr. Michael Coffman's biodiversity maps along with much information on the UN's Agenda 21 which came out of Rio in 1992 on old man Bush's watch. Right ... he didn't sign it. But Clinton and now Bush Jr. have and are doing a great job of cramming every element of Agenda 21 down our throats and nobody who is anybody, seems to have the intestinal fortitude to stand up against any of it! How can this be happening? Especially in our state, when lawmakers have the knowledge, yet still do nothing to stop it. Mr. Pawlenty told me that he had been present at the Legislature when Randal O'Toole was there speaking to them about the fallacies of "Smart Growth" -- yet he does nothing in opposition or to expose it ... Norm Coleman was apprised of the schemes at great length when he was here in Duluth while running for governor. Have never heard one word of condemnation for these illicit schemes out of this Republican [and] supposed epitome of grace and honor ... Remember his vice-mayor, the one who worked for him as "Bob" and then suddenly became his vice-mayor as "MARY"... wow! I'd suggest that many good people are DFL'ers and just like too many Republicans, are just following the leadership in "Blind-Faith" Seems to me that the behind-the-scenes leaders of both parties are in collusion with each other and aligned against "We the People." So just what ... is going on here ... Isn't it time we back some of these people up against a wall and force some hard answers to questions on matters that really mean something and that we CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT ...? i.e.. Abortion, homosexuality, and Far Eastern Religions. When we keep electing and allowing these agents of dis-servitude to run rampant over our rights, freedom and property and further allow them to taint the God from whom our Unalienable Rights come, we have not just lost a battle but have lost the War!!! When this Land is no longer "Our" Land ... We will no longer be but mere shadow images of who we might think we are today! I need a few hundred or ... thousand of those bio-diversity maps because I believe there's some people out there who need a ... refresher course....anyone willing to help?)

We've Had Enough

July 8, 2002

By Henry Lamb henry@freedom.org © 2002 WorldNetDaily.com Henry Lamb is the executive vice president of the Environmental Conservation Organization and chairman of Sovereignty International. www.sovereignty.net

Who could have guessed that South Florida's swamps would become the staging ground for what is shaping up to be the biggest battle for property rights this country has ever seen? The immediate target is the CERP - the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The bigger target is The Wildlands Project, but the real target is the basis on which land-use management regulations are formulated.

Land-management policy, once the exclusive domain of local elected officials, has been hijacked by environmental ideologues who have devised a new "collaborative" decision process to advance their conservation objectives, leaving the regulated community with no one to hold accountable at the ballot box. [If you're in Duluth, take a tour of the DeWitt Seitz Building and meet some of them] jv

When government agencies began condemning land, flooding farms, forcing conservation easements and, in general, displacing private land owners to make way for the Everglades Restoration Plan, the people most affected got together and decided that "we've had enough."

Some of these folks were not even aware that they are simply the latest victims of a national program to transform America into what is described as The Wildlands Project - an effort to convert "at least half" of America's land area into wilderness, off limits to humans, and put most of the remaining land under strict government control.

The people who live in the Klamath Basin know lots about The Wildlands Project. Federal agencies and environmental organizations used the Endangered Species Act as an excuse to shut off water to 1,400 farm families in an effort to force the land owners off their land.

The people in Ohio's proposed Darby Refuge area know lots about The Wildlands Project. The Nature Conservancy, and other environmental organizations attempted to drive out private land owners from nearly 50,000 acres of prime farmland to create a wildlife refuge.

All across the country, communities are facing the same kind of transformation, forcing private land owners off their land, to expand wilderness areas, corridors, or buffer zones - consistent with the objectives of The Wildlands Project.

In official parlance, The Wildlands Project is known as "ecosystem management," and "sustainable development." Scores of different techniques are used to slowly tighten government's grip on land use, either by outright acquisition of private land, purchase of development rights, conservation easements, zoning restrictions or in-your-face regulatory control.

For years, property-rights groups have been waging almost futile battles at the local and state levels. Several of these groups met in Alamogordo, N.M., in May to begin to develop a national strategy to combat the erosion of property rights, and stop the relentless spread of The Wildlands Project.

Jay Walley, of the Paragon Foundation, one of the sponsors of the Alamogordo meeting, met with several grassroots organizations in South Florida on June 29. These organizations are joining forces to create a statewide coalition of organizations, which will be supported by hundreds of organizations from all across America.

The Freedom 21 Campaign, meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on July 19-20, will refine the plans that were launched at Alamogordo. Among the issues to be addressed, is a strategy to stop the transformation of America into the wilderness vision presented by The Wildlands Project.

Early ideas favor revival of the "caravans" that brought thousands of people from across America to Klamath Basin, and to the Darby, to insist that government get out of the way and let the people live their own lives. A few weeks before the November elections, caravans from every corner of the country could converge in the swamps of Florida, bringing thousands of people not only to demonstrate solidarity with the Everglades victims, but to coordinate political strategies designed to bring land-use abuses to a screeching halt.

Throughout the summer, thousands of people are mobilizing to see that candidates are informed, and forced to declare their position on The Wildlands Project, and other measures that erode private-property rights.

The national grassroots plan of action is not limited to the Everglades, but is being constructed to address similar issues in every community. No longer will the environmental organizations go unchallenged. No longer will so-called "stakeholder" councils be dominated by professional environmental-organization employees and government-agency officials. No longer will the affected land owners be the last to know what others have planned for their land.

Collectively, the people of America are saying "we've had enough!" And their voices may be heard the loudest, echoing through the swamps of South Florida.