Is the Recession a Boon for Habitat Acquisition?
I was just checking out this article in the SF Gate (online version of the SF Chronicle and other local news sources). The gist of the article is that the crash in real estate values has provided a great opportunity for land preservation organizations to snap up deal after deal. As the article reads:
It seems like a rare opportunity, but all over California, tough economic times are forcing investors and developers to abandon housing projects and real estate deals that would have made them a fortune just a few years ago. Conservation organizations and trusts are moving in to buy the land, often at bargain basement prices.
It makes sense, of course, and this isn’t the first I’ve heard about it. The fact is, right now is a great time for anyone who was smart enough to put aside some liquid cash, to snap up some killer deals on real estate. A lot of folks are selling out just to break even, or even at a loss, as the market struggles to right itself after the insane nosedive it’s been in. (Of course, the real estate market folks seem to forget that part of the reason for the tail spin is the meteoric rise in prices over a handful of years prior to the crash… only a greedy fool couldn’t have seen this coming.)
Unfortunately for the private investor, it’s pretty tough to take advantage of these deals right now, since the lending industry took a beating as well. It’s hard to borrow simply to buy a home right now… anything that looks like investment property will be an even bigger challenge. I’ve been looking and daydreaming about taking the opportunity to get into a hunting ranch property, but I’m not sure I’m up to the task of arranging financing… or up the grind of making payments.
All that aside, though, the main thing this article got me to thinking about is… well, here are all the land trusts and preservation organizations setting aside these tracts of property. Where are the sportsmen’s organizations in all of this? I read mention of the Sierra trust, Nature Conservancy, and others… but nowhere am I seeing mention of the Mule Deer Foundation, California Deer Association, California Waterfowl, or even Ducks Unlimited. Am I just missing something altogether here, or are we missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime?
I mean, really… I hate to be overly cynical, but these land trusts have a long record of blocking off sportsmen’s access from the lands they’ve “preserved”. And in truth, I do think it’s a good thing to have a smattering of real wildlife sanctuaries interspersed around the countryside. These places do offer something of value to the non-consumptive nature-lover, and there’s nothing wrong with that on its surface.
But hunters in CA could sure use more places to hunt as well. If these tiny organizations like Trust for Public Land and Peninsula Open Space can afford to snap up big chunks of land, why can’t our organizations do the same? Either through collaborative efforts, working with the real conservation organizations and environmental groups… or simply combine the strength of various hunting organizations.
I don’t have the answer to those last questions, and would love to hear some input from folks who do.
I don’t have the answers either, Phillip. It is a heck of an idea, though. It’s too bad a few of our outdoor organizations didn’t use some of their funds to snap up some cheap land that would allow a few more hunters access that maybe don’t have a place to hunt….or need a different place.
It does seem like a golden opportunity, but I’m sure there are issues I’m not thinking about that are keeping them from buying these pieces of property.
A very intriguing idea, though.
October 20th, 2009 at 3:53 am
I figured you were being facetious about TPL being small, right?
Usually, in bad economic times, organizations and companies go “back to the basics.” For TPL and other land trusts, the basics are buying up lands for protection/transfer to public agencies. However, I don’t know of any major land trust whose focus is on hunting. Also, I don’t think the major players in hunter conservation and promotion want to wade into a new and complicated project during such an uncertain time, nor would I recommend it for them. I would, however, recommend those pro-hunting organizations talk to TPL and TNC about creating coalitions or even a new land trust whose focus would be on hunting. I’d work for it.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Josh, you’ve definitely got the edge on me when it comes to understanding economics and the way some of these decisions get made. I also recognize that there’s really not a hunting organization whose charter is primarily driven by land acquisition (DU may be an exception… I dunno). However, the opportunity is there, as you suggest, to put heads and resources together with these other organizations. In fact, the Nature Conservancy has worked together with DU on some pretty key acquisitions. Seems like I saw where they just did a big project with the RMEF recently too… so the truth be told, I guess some of this is going on.
The time is probably about as good as it will ever be to take advantage of reduced property values, and I’d love to see this result in more huntable land, rather than more wildlife “museums” and fenceless zoos.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
If you are interested, perhaps we could talk to some TPL folks I know, and maybe that Bull Moose Club you blogged about. Who knows, perhaps we’ll start something here?
October 21st, 2009 at 10:57 am