Day 31

Wyoming Constitution; Section 1, Article 31...Water being essential to industrial prosperity, of limited amount, and easy of diversion from its natural channels, its control must be in the state, which, in providing for its use, shall equally guard all the various interests involved.

Good morning,

Senate File #41, Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act, is an example of a high profile idea that really misses the root of the problem.

You can read the text of the bill as it left the Senate to get the idea, but there is probably going to be some changes made if it makes it through the House..........

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2005/Engross/SF0041.pdf

    The idea of the bill is to create a trust fund and use the interest from the account to buy important wildlife habitat from willing buyers, which is all well and good.

    Unfortunately the degradation of critical winter wildlife habitat is unlikely to be seriously impacted by the passage of this bill. The real threat is the ongoing rural sprawl and the creation of small scale ranchettes.

    Even though about 50% of Wyoming is public land, a large amount of the critical winter habitat is private land, and there is a current trend to sell off that land and subdivide it.

    When winter habitat is broken up into 40 acre pieces, individually fenced, and populated by people and dogs, you know that the wildlife is not going to be impressed by the change.

    There are two major themes the Legislature needs to address to protect our wildlife resource. The first is to come up with innovative ideas to keep the family ranch in Wyoming a reality. The other is for the Legislature to take a serious look at the best way to place restrictions on subdivision fencing and roaming dogs.

    Of course property restrictions run up against the concept of private property rights, and so the traditional thinkers in the Legislature will be hesitant to make a move in the right direction absent significant pressure from the public. But that is the only thing that will ensure the long range health of Wyoming's wildlife resource.

Keith