Loss of Oakey Woods Wildlife Management Area

What a shame that in a state with so much natural beauty and so many supporters of wildlife and the outdoors we lag so far behind neighboring states in money dedicated for land protection. The potential loss of a jewel like Oakey Woods Wildlife Management Area to development is a prime example of the necessity of increased funding for something so valued and so dwindling in supply in this state – our natural lands. The bears that will be displaced by the development of Oakey Woods will not be a problem merely for the neighboring landowners and homeowners, but also to all of us in Georgia as a symbol that we are losing our natural heritage. I hope that all of the many people I see out there with a “support wildlife” bumper sticker on their car will do so the best way possible – by supporting funding for habitat protection.

Politics, money, and the environment

This seems a good time of year to ask, whatever happened to election reform?I just heard a news story today saying that billions of dollars have been spent in election advertising on television for this election alone. Who donates the substantial portion of this money? Is it the average person looking to make ends meet? Is it the average person who might care about clean air, clean water, open space for recreation? No, it's more likely corporations, or individual representatives of corporations, who have more specific, and often more selfish interests in mind. I propose something far more equitable, for instance free or government subsidised television time for any qualifying candidates. We should not be such a consumer society that even our government offices are up for bid.