Parsons Captured Essence of Gnatcatcher Saga
President Everett McCracken of the Fish and Game Commission really hit the nail on the head when he said at the Newport gnatcatcher hearing, “Looks like the farmers are the endangered species.”
They have been for quite a while, and the Williamson Agricultural Preserve Act hasn’t helped except to give a tax break, especially to those large landowners whose intention is to do extensive development. It doesn’t preserve the land in perpetuity the way it should.
Unfortunately, lack of wisdom by planners and politicians and disregard by developers and builders have led to a situation in which agriculture is not included as a permanent land-use.
Sad to say, we are all victims of this state of affairs, especially future generations who will not enjoy a semblance of natural environment.
They will be out in the cold. However, the commission has the opportunity to get in that “tub of cold water” and preserve the gnatcatcher habitat for us all. Let us pray that they do.
ANDY WING, Laguna Beach
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