Land trust sells private land to U.S. Forest Service

An Inland land trust is transferring 826 acres of privately owned land to the Cleveland National Forest, including a scenic canyon just west of Corona. The U.S. Forest Service, which manages the forest, does not have immediate plans for the land, but it will most likely remain as open space and wildlife habitat, said Jake Rodriguez, a recreation and landsofficer for Cleveland National Forest. The forest service is buying the land from the trust -- $500,000 for the Yaeger Mesa and $2.5 million for Eagle Canyon -- using an appropriation from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The trust acquired the land in 2005 to protect it from development, Jorris said. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, had requested that money for the land purchase included this year's federal budget, Jorris said. The trust will use the $3 million to acquire more land to protect open space and wildlife habitat, Jorris said...read more

This highlights the problem many have with these lands trusts: they operate as a stalking horse for federal land acquisition. They purchase lands from private owners, then lobby the state's congressional delegation for appropriations and then take those federal dollars and go acquire more private property. It's a never ending process.