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4 COMMON GROUND VOL. 14 N0. 3 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2003
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<br /> The Pew Oceans Commission has asked Despite a sluggish economy, environmental
<br /> The Conservation Fund . Congress to create a major funding source giving rose to a record $6 . 59 billion in 2002,
<br /> Vital Statistics for coastal habitat protection fueled by fed- a 2 . 8% increase over 2001 . Overall giving
<br /> Land protected by TCF eral revenue from offshore oil, gas and min- rose just 1 % to $240 . 92 billion, which repre-
<br /> and partners, 2003 : eral development . The commission made the sented a 0 . 5 % decline, when adjusted for
<br /> Acres protected: 72,121. recommendation in the most comprehensive inflation, according to Giving USA 2003 ,
<br /> Est. value: $148,450,300 mp study of the nation' s oceans in three de- ($65, aafrc . org, 888 / 544-8464) , published by
<br /> Land protected, 1985-2003, cades . Commission members spent three the AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy . Giving
<br /> by TCF and partners; years examining the 4 . 5 million square miles by individuals in 2002 rose 0 . 7%, to $ 183 . 73
<br /> Acres Iprotected: 3,526,234 of offshore waters within U . S . jurisdiction . billion. Giving through bequests in 2002 rose
<br /> Est. value: $1,984F .,888,083 Their 144-page report, " America's Living 2% to $ 18 . 1 billion. Foundation giving slid
<br /> TCF has received, top Oceans : Charting a Course for Sea Change" 1 . 2% to $26 . 9 billion, whereas corporate gifts
<br /> ratings from the American . (pewoceans . org) , concludes that overnshing, jumped 10 .5 % to $ 12 . 19 billion.
<br /> Institute of Philanthropy for coastal development and polluted runoff
<br /> its :progrant effectiveness from cities and farmland have seriously Transportation enhancement funding
<br /> and 1% fund raising harmed a resource that was once thought would jump to $3 . 15 billion under the Bush
<br /> expense beyond humankind' s ability to harm . "The administration' s six-year, $247 billion pro-
<br /> The Conservation Fund hope is that we can reverse this damage, " posal to reauthorize the highway and transit
<br /> is a . F : & (3) nonprofit said Leon Panetta, commission chairman bill . The proposal (www .fhwa. dot . gov / reau-
<br /> organization established to
<br /> •advance land, and water and former White House chief of staff, at the thorization / safetea .htm) includes $ 60 mil-
<br /> •conservation it America: June 4 release . "We understand that dealing lion each year for the Recreational Trails
<br /> The Fund is a member of with our oceans is a world problem. But the program ( + $ 10 million) , and $31 . 5 million
<br /> Earth Share and participates United States has to set the standard . " The annually for the National Scenic Byways
<br /> in the Combined Federal commission also called for a National Ocean Program ( + $5 million) . Enhancement money
<br /> I .Campaign as #0930 Policy Act, an independent oceans agency can fund acquisition of scenic easements,
<br /> and a national network of marine reserves construction of rail-trails, and provision of
<br /> IF
<br /> .Earth Share (see Databank on page 8 for more on study) . facilities for pedestrians and bicycles . To
<br /> gear up for the reauthorization debate in
<br /> ConservatIF
<br /> ion Leadership Changes in land use in the United States— Congress, trail proponents released polls
<br /> Courses conversion of land to cities and agriculture— showing majority support for more federal
<br /> IF"Conserving Land withV . may be contributing twice as much to global funding to improve facilities for walking
<br /> Conservation Easements," warming as previously thought. Comparing and biking (americabikes . org / resources_
<br /> Sept; 21=24; Chapel Hit N , C rural and urban temperature data since media_pollrelease . asp and transact. org /
<br /> Contact Land Trust Alliance: 1960, researchers at the University of report. asp ? id=205) .
<br /> 202/638 4725 Maryland found an increase of 0 . 2 degrees
<br /> "Green Infrastructure A ' Fahrenheit in mean surface temperature, The California State Board of Equalization
<br /> Strategic Approach to Natu twice as hi h as revious estimates (www . decided in May that the placement of a con-
<br /> ial Resource Planning and g p
<br /> Conservation;' Oct 27 30, atmos . umd . edu / ~ ekalnay / Kalnay_01675 servation easement on land did not consti-
<br /> Shepherdstown,' W.Va _final . pdf) . Human- caused atmospheric in tute a change of ownership , which triggers a
<br /> Contact 304 / 876-7462 creases in carbon dioxide and other green- reassessment of the property' s value . Con-
<br /> "GIS Design for Regional house gases have been implicated as a key servationists cheered the ruling, which ran
<br /> Conservation Planning," factor in global warming . But if land use is counter to board staff recommendations , be-
<br /> Nova .17-21, Shepherdstown,
<br /> W.Va . Contact: 304/ 876-74524 playing a greater role than previously cause such reassessments could have wiped
<br /> "Building Partnerships thought, it could complicate any effort to out any tax break the easement may have
<br /> Between Gateway reverse global warming because most land generated . Under Proposition 13, which state
<br /> Communities and Public use decisions are locally controlled . voters approved in 1978 when property val-
<br /> Lands: An Interactive Televiw ues were escalating, land cannot be reas -
<br /> sion Workshop;" Broadcast A report on park systems in 55 of the sessed unless it changes ownership or major
<br /> from Shepherdstown, W.Va.
<br /> Dec. 4. Contact: 304 / 876- nations largest cities ranked Jacksonville, improvements are made . As a result, land
<br /> 7462. Fla . , as the leader in terms of park acreage that has remained in the same ownership
<br /> (49 , 785 acres) and park acreage per 1 ,000 since then is still assessed at its 1978 value .
<br /> residents (67. 6) . In San Francisco, one in five Recently, assessors in Calaveras, El Dorado,
<br /> acres is parkland, according to "The Excel- Shasta and Yuba counties have interpreted
<br /> lent City Park System" (tpl . org) with Wash- the creation of conservation easements as a
<br /> ington, D . C . , New York, San Diego , Boston, change of ownership, which would have
<br /> El Paso and Minneapolis not too far behind . triggered a reassessment.
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