Government Spending of Public Lands and Forests Tax Dollars

A view of the sky through trees looking up.

PUBLIC LANDS AND FORESTS TAX DOLLARS

  • We have 260 million acres of public land in the western states, which our government leases some of it for livestock grazing.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGjnIG7puzY
  • $30 million is spent annually for predator control, i.e., killing mountain lions, coyotes, wolves, birds of prey, etc., to protect cattle, which yield only 3% of the meat consumed in the U.S.
  • Only 2.5% of old growth forests remain in our country, yet the U.S. Forest Service spends nearly $2 billion a year building logging roads.
  • The primary method of harvesting trees on public lands is clear-cutting.
  • We lose $400 million annually selling timber BELOW COST.
  • Public Land is sold to mining companies for $5.00 per acre.

THE FREE MARKET

  • Anderson-Tully, a highly successful timber company, uses selective harvesting methods, cataloging all trees on their property and deciding when to cut each tree, insuring the survival and profitability of their business.
  • Mining companies leasing private lands pay an average of $25 per acre, while contractual remediation standards are much more stringent.
A deer standing in the middle of a field.