OPINION: Don't buy the left's lies about public lands

It’s astounding the number of falsehoods, fabrications, deceits and deceptions running about the discourse relative to the transfer of public lands to state control.

The most obvious deception is the use of the term “privatization” when referring to state control of our public lands. Obviously state control still means they are public lands. Fortunately most people are smart enough to see through this disgusting attempt to mislead the general public.

The far left is also fabricating the idea that our forest lands were mismanaged in the past. In reality, the Forest Service and logging companies worked hand in hand to superbly manage our forests for the health of our trees, wildlife management and protection of our watersheds while at the same time providing good paying jobs for our citizens and access to our forests for recreational purposes.

One of the biggest falsehoods is that our forests are now healthy. It doesn’t take much knowledge to understand how unhealthy our forests are today. Overgrown, insect infested, dying and decaying are just some of the more appropriate terms relative to our mountain landscapes. The federal government has, over the last five decades, proven beyond a shadow of a doubt how incompetent they are.

The mantra that there is not enough money to manage our forests is an outright falsehood. Before the federal government took control there were ample resources available for the management of our forests as those of us who lived in those days remember so well. However, there were a lot less forest fires because the management of our forests was so much better.

Obviously, it will take at least two decades of active management utilizing appropriate logging practices for our state to restore our forests to a healthy environment. During that time the federal government must continue to fund the expenses for management to compensate for their errant practices in the past.

However, there is no bigger lie then the one that big-money is supporting transfer of lands to the state of Montana. This is a total fabrication meant to mislead and deceive the general public. In reality, the big money is on the side of those in favor leaving control with the federal government. This is the same small, vocal, well-funded far left group of rabid extremists who want all of our forests left as wilderness, leaving wages for our workers at 49th in the U.S. For them there is no room for any other use.

Our forests have been terribly mismanaged these last five decades. No amount of lies, deceptions, fabrications and/or deceits will change that fact. The state of Montana and its citizens can do a much better job than the federal government restoring health to our forests while at the same time providing jobs our citizens, promoting our wildlife and hunting and providing access for all to enjoy a beautiful land.

When nature clear-cuts our forests this year with uncontrollable fires and when we all are breathing terribly polluted air, it will be obvious how bad the federal government’s programs have been. The results of its mismanagement will then be fact, not falsehoods, deceptions or fabrications like so much of the discourse has been. 

Agather is a resident of Kalispell.