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Colorado Dunes Closer to Park Status
Newsday.com ^ | January 30, 2002 | JOHN HEILPRIN

Posted on 01/31/2002 3:27:33 AM PST by brityank

Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:55 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

WASHINGTON -- Congress' efforts to convert the tallest sand dunes in North America into a Colorado national park and wildlife refuge took a big step Wednesday with a private conservation group buying a huge ranch next to it.

The Nature Conservancy said it is spending $31.28 million to purchase the 97,000-acre Baca Ranch and two 14,000-foot peaks in southern Colorado, next to Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve. The ranch's plentiful aquifer keeps the 750-foot-high dunes intact and nourishes the San Luis Valley's farmers and ranchers.


(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: enviralists; green; michaeldobbs
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Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said the only thing remaining for Congress is to appropriate at least $17 million to repay The Nature Conservancy.

More taxpayer theft.

1 posted on 01/31/2002 3:27:34 AM PST by brityank (brityank@FReepmail)
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To: *landgrab; *Green; *Enviralists; farmfriend; marsh2; dixiechick2000; Helen; Mama_Bear; poet...
Ping.
2 posted on 01/31/2002 3:29:09 AM PST by brityank
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To: brityank
The ranch's plentiful aquifer keeps the 750-foot-high dunes intact and nourishes the San Luis Valley's farmers and ranchers.

Any guesses on who/what gets first dibs on the water? < /retorical question>

3 posted on 01/31/2002 3:58:52 AM PST by Valin
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To: brityank
When our elected officials openly praise "public/private" partnerships, are they too stupid to recognize this is facism, or are the American people just too stupid realize that their government is being stolen from them in front of their very eyes?
4 posted on 01/31/2002 5:22:33 AM PST by hedgetrimmer
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To: hedgetrimmer
How is this fascism? A private organization buys some land and gives it to Congress to make a park. I don't see the fascism.
5 posted on 01/31/2002 5:26:05 AM PST by Huck
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To: Huck
Correction: sells it to Congress.
6 posted on 01/31/2002 5:27:00 AM PST by Huck
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To: brityank
Thanks for the ping...BTT
7 posted on 01/31/2002 5:49:46 AM PST by Neets
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To: brityank
HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW!!!!

That's gotta be Maurice Strong's Ranch!

From Rise of the Global Green Religion, by Henry Lamb
(Source: Meet Maurice Strong," ecologic, November/December, 1995, p. 4.):

Among Strong's world-wide holdings is a 63,000 acre Colorado ranch called the Baca Grande. It is a mecca for mystics. The ranch is home to a group called Disciples of the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa, a strain of Tibetan Buddhism. Shirley MacLaine planned to build her New Age Center at Baca, but locals resisted the idea of a resort. A group of Carmelites built the Spiritual Life Institute, a co-ed monastery for silent contemplation. The Disciples of Babaji, an Indian Guru, celebrate Hindu rituals in a $175,000 solar-powered, gold-domed, adobe temple which features an alabaster statue of Murti, the Divine Mother, built by the Lindesfarne Fellowship. There is a temple for Sufis, and another for Taoists. Still another group was blocked by county officials who quickly enacted a building height restriction when it was learned that the group intended to build a 46-story pink granite pyramid in compliance with instructions received from an intergalactic leader named Commander Kuthumi who was channeling from the planet Arturus. Strong and wife Hanne see the Baca Grande as the "Vatican City" of the new world order.

What a bunch of crap! What does anybody here bet that they'll "mitigate" all those "religious" shrines? Nope, this is more likely just another way for ol Maurice to look good while he pads his ample wallet.

8 posted on 01/31/2002 6:03:02 AM PST by Carry_Okie
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To: Valin
More on ol Maurice:

He ran away from home at 14. His father retrieved him from Vancouver. But in 1945, after completing the 11th grade, Strong was off again to become an apprentice fur trader in Hudson Bay. Strong's business success was remarkable. At 19, he was an investment analyst. At 25, he was Vice President of Dome Petroleum. At 31, he became the President of Power Corporation of Canada. He headed both Petro Canada and Hydro Canada, and made a few deals on the side as well, one of which was the acquisition in 1978 of the Colorado Land & Cattle Company which owned 200,000 acres of San Luis Valley in Colorado -- from Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. (Marci McDonald, Maclean's, October 10, 1994, p. 51.)

The ranch, called Baca, sat on the continent's largest fresh water aquifer. Strong intended to pipe the water to the desert southwest, but environmental organizations protested and the plan was abandoned. Strong ended up with a $1.2 million settlement from the water company, an annual grant of $100,000 from Laurance Rockefeller, and still retained the rights to the water.

What a sweetie! Ain't a ranch safe for a hundred miles!
9 posted on 01/31/2002 6:09:59 AM PST by Carry_Okie
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To: brityank; M1991; cdwright; mbb bill; Zoey; kristinn; Rebeckie; Lucky; Sauropod; VinnyTex...
"The ranch's plentiful aquifer"

Guys, More control of that resource {water} that is MOST ESSENTIAL to life itself by godgov and its approved NGOs. Wonderful. As we have been warned for years no, "Water WILL become 'scarce'."! Peace and love, George.

10 posted on 01/31/2002 6:14:14 AM PST by George Frm Br00klyn Park
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To: Carry_Okie
group intended to build a 46-story pink granite pyramid in compliance with instructions received from an intergalactic leader named Commander Kuthumi who was channeling from the planet Arturus.

Calling Art Bell, Calling Art Bell. This place sounds like Sedona on steroids.

11 posted on 01/31/2002 6:21:04 AM PST by Valin
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To: Valin
And this is the clown pushing Gobble Grubbamint!

From my book:

Maurice Strong is a Canadian billionaire, a Board member of Petro-Canada and Dome Petroleum, and President of Ontario Hydro. He is Director of the IUCN, Chairman of the Earth Council, Trustee of the Aspen Institute, Director of the World Future Society, Director of Finance for the Lindisfarne Association, founder of Planetary Citizens, member of the Club of Rome, Chairman of the World Resources Institute, and Co-Chairman and founder of the Council of the World Economic Forum and Senior Adviser to the President of the World Bank. He is President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, Senior Advisor to the UN Secretary General and for the Rockefeller and Rothschild Trusts.

Maurice Strong is the chief architect of Global Governance, and co-authored the Earth Charter with Mikhail Gorbachev (not exactly the equivalent of a Constitutional Convention, is it?).


12 posted on 01/31/2002 6:34:08 AM PST by Carry_Okie
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To: Valin
As a son of a rancher (near Trinidad), it is sad to go home and see the Western US city folks (CA) move in and break up alot of good ground for their 10 acre ranchettes to handle 5 horses and 3 dogs. You can pick em out in the parking lot at Walmart (they drive the pickups with water transfer tanks in the back because they build homes without a source of water). The Hispanic folks in the San Luis Valley have been there for generations and it irks me to see some high faluting developer with money bags propose a transfer of water to cities like Co Sprgs. While I do not buy in to gov encumbering more ground for parks, perhaps this acquisition will not upset the apple cart for those ag producers who are still trying to make an honest living on their ground. My two cents.
13 posted on 01/31/2002 6:35:49 AM PST by Man from Oz
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To: Huck
"How is this fascism?"

H, The "Public Private Partnerships" between godgov and its assorted and approved corporations, and "Non-Governmental Organizations" is indeed reminiscent of Mussolinn's fascism, Hitler's "New Way", and the paperwork of the new "Third Way" forms of government. And, seldom, if ever, do the NGOs "give" property to the government. They generally make a HEALTHY profit for their "services". Example: HERE Peace and love, George.

14 posted on 01/31/2002 6:38:50 AM PST by George Frm Br00klyn Park
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To: Carry_Okie
This book proposes a free-market environmental management system designed to deliver a product that is superior to government oversight, at lower cost.

NO NO NO, As all right thinking people know only the government (with the guidence of sandal wearing,tofu eating, tree hugging types who are in touch with our mother the earth and all our friends from the forest floor) can save the earth. Free Markets Right! < /sarcasm>

15 posted on 01/31/2002 6:44:25 AM PST by Valin
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To: Man from Oz
Hey, I have 38 acres or so by Stonewall. Nice place and I hope to retire there in a few years.

I guess the four wheeling at the dunes is about over with...

16 posted on 01/31/2002 6:45:52 AM PST by MileHi
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To: Carry_Okie
It is a mecca for mystics.

I love it when a plan comes together!

Hehehehe.

17 posted on 01/31/2002 6:46:45 AM PST by brityank
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To: Man from Oz
they build homes without a source of water

now THAT sounds like a real good idea. Question, how in the _____ did some one that stupid get enough money to buy and build a house?

18 posted on 01/31/2002 6:48:20 AM PST by Valin
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To: Carry_Okie
"The ranch, called Baca, sat on the continent's largest fresh water aquifer."

Shades of Klamath -- the San Luis Valley is potato country. And very short of surface water...

Great Sand Dunes is a spectacular park, nonetheless. I wonder how we made it better by making it bigger, though...

19 posted on 01/31/2002 6:48:42 AM PST by okie01
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To: Man from Oz
"perhaps this acquisition will not upset the apple cart for those ag producers who are still trying to make an honest living on their ground. My two cents."

MfO, You need to take a look at the Klamath_list, and Court Asked to Rule in Las Vegas Water Case to see how much godgov and its partnership NGOs appreciate the AG producers, and ranchers. Water WILL become more and more "scarce", and expensive with water rights in fewer and fewer hands. Peace and love, George.

20 posted on 01/31/2002 6:52:17 AM PST by George Frm Br00klyn Park
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