[mou] Fees
Karen Eckman
k.eckman@comcast.net
Thu, 30 Mar 2006 12:50:05 -0600
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John Hockema's story of two shrikes and birding with his brother moved =
me to add my 2 cents to the 'fee for birders' discussion.
I don't know the best way to protect essential habitat for all living =
things in our state and nation.=20
But I do know it takes an unrelenting effort to keep the opposing forces =
of greed and ignorance at bay. This effort includes:
EDUCATION:
Educating youth through exposing them to nature as children is an =
important piece. Otherwise it doesn't matter what we do now to protect a =
healthy environment. And educating the public so they realize they are =
stakeholders in the environment is vital. Humans could become an =
'endangered species' if we are not good stewards of our environment - =
especially our air and water. But many people see environmentalists =
simply as impediments to economic progress...laws and rules to protect =
our environment are just 'red tape' that requires cutting or finding a =
way to get around it. Many people think we just want to save little =
spotted owls because they are fun to look at while those people are more =
concerned about what is important, like survival. (Ironic, huh?) Have =
you seen that "family farm" TV ad lately?
POLITICS:
Who pays the fiddler, calls the tune. Yes, birders already contribute =
through taxes, duck stamps, additional contributions on our MN taxes, =
supporting non-profit organizations that buy and protect natural areas, =
and park fees etc. But those contributions, though important, are =
fragmented. How can we make what we give have more impact with =
decision-makers? Look at the influence of Arctic Cat and Polaris vs. =
birders. Are there more birders and hikers than off-road ATV riders in =
MN? You wouldn't know it.
Our often short-sighted government decision-makers are a critical piece =
in maintaining natural areas and protecting them. They listen to LARGE =
numbers of voters and BIG dollars. Unless we elect more statesmen/women =
in politics who make decisions based on the greater good and the welfare =
of the 7th generation, we need to be a stronger influence. HOW?
Karen Eckman
Phone: 651-483-8460
Cell: 651-260-8534
k.eckman@comcast.net
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>John Hockema's story of two shrikes and =
birding=20
with his brother moved me to add my 2 cents to the 'fee for birders'=20
discussion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I don't know the best way to =
protect essential=20
habitat for all living things in our state and nation. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>But I do know it takes an unrelenting =
effort to=20
keep the opposing forces of greed and ignorance at bay. This effort=20
includes:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>EDUCATION:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Educating youth through exposing them =
to nature as=20
children is an important piece. Otherwise it doesn't matter what we =
do now=20
to protect a healthy environment. And educating the public so they =
realize they=20
are stakeholders in the environment is vital. Humans could become =
an=20
'endangered species' if we are not good stewards of our environment - =
especially=20
our air and water. But many people see environmentalists simply as =
impediments=20
to economic progress...laws and rules to protect our environment are =
just 'red=20
tape' that requires cutting or finding a way to get around it. Many =
people think we just want to save little spotted owls because they =
are fun=20
to look at while those people are more concerned about what is =
important, like survival. (Ironic, huh?) Have you seen that "family =
farm" TV ad=20
lately?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>POLITICS:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Who pays the fiddler, calls the tune. =
Yes, birders=20
already contribute through taxes, duck stamps, additional =
contributions=20
on our MN taxes, supporting non-profit organizations that buy =
and=20
protect natural areas, and park fees etc. But those=20
contributions, though important, are fragmented. How can =
we make=20
what we give have more impact with decision-makers? Look at the =
influence of=20
Arctic Cat and Polaris vs. birders. Are there more birders and hikers =
than=20
off-road ATV riders in MN? You wouldn't know it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Our often short-sighted government =
decision-makers are a critical piece in maintaining natural areas and =
protecting=20
them. They listen to LARGE numbers of voters and BIG =
dollars. Unless=20
we elect more statesmen/women in politics who make decisions based =
on the=20
greater good and the welfare of the 7th generation, we need to be a =
stronger=20
influence. HOW?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Karen Eckman<BR>Phone:=20
651-483-8460<BR>Cell: 651-260-8534<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:k.eckman@comcast.net">k.eckman@comcast.net</A></FONT></DIV=
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