Short Speech, Introduction


Short Version

RE.  Land Fragmentation

I was-told by well-meaning friends and acquaintances  that I am  very limited in time to catch your attention and present my ideas.  But how can I put a lifetime of destiny and purpose in such a short period.  I can talk about this from 1-2 days, and I have a long paper written that I’d like to share.  If you want to know more, please read it, and consider letting me talk further.  I am not a fast talker, and do not wish to be.    

I am here to give  facts, first.

For 28 years I have been a land broker in the UP.  I have seen the prices pass from 100/acre to 1000/acre.  The land is being fragmented as we sit here now.  It will continue to do so, into smaller and smaller parcels.  The die is cast, it is written in stone, -------  or is it?    

If you can listen to me and give me time, I can explain to you how to change or steer, and/or in some cases to outright stop it in a beneficial way.   Where monies is gained for the state.    

Preserve the beauty of the UP through new Parks.  My vision is to rearrange scattered public lands on a mass scale into more solidified blocks, (parks) through trade. I believe many of these scattered ownerships of the state and federal land can be traded off  to timber companies and subsequently rearranged, with resultant consolidation  into some specific and awesome (wondrous) large blocks of wilderness, uniquely reflective of the UP.  Further, private ownership within the blocks can be fairly and justly acquired by offering other quality (and I mean quality) State and Federally owned land outside the blocks which will have been acquired through my efforts. This can only occur because of the greater gain of value of the blocks as a whole.  The key here is that from a timberman’s point of view; his disposable land blocks are low in timber value, and he will gladly trade with the state for their superior timber land. And by fortunate coincidence, the timberman’s reject lands possess high recreational and scenic value. Another important consideration is that  the “Yoopers” have grown to distrust the government (state and federal)and would say NO to this project.  But  I  think I can build the trust, that is necessary  to work with them.(the Yoopers).

The entire restructuring vision is possible because the DNR has done a good job of managing and creating an asset, a timber asset.  Immense timber value exists in these state forests, because unlike the commercial forests, DNR forests have not been subjected to “high-grading” forestry practices, which cut down so many healthy trees, leaving runts and bent ones to reproduce. High-grading is a huge topic needing time to explain.

A few centuries ago Michigan was an unknown wilderness, and scouts went out exploring it, and came back to civilization and reported what they found. I’m a scout in a way, coming back to the civilization represented by the legislature, to report on what I’ve found, and plead for action. Am I launching the opening volley in a new struggle over land use in the UP? So be it.  It’s time to ponder these matters, to make a decision, because you will not have that decision later., and “this special place in the World will be gone”, as a friend says.

Economic development in the total State of Michigan has substantially reduced, jobs have left.  With these parks we could compete with the likes of the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc.  Cannot the great Lakes be seen from space as well as the Grand Canyon.  Tourism studies illustrate the value of parks, and prove the financial benefits for the area with their presence.

These parks would help us diversify, and bring in  dollars.   We would create Jobs.