I am extremely conservative in most areas, but lean the other way when it comes to native species preservation/restoration. For me personally, wild land and our native species bring me great joy. People derive peace and happiness from different things. I feel more peace and happiness when I am casting a fly to a wild Colorado River Cutthroat Trout or looking through my scope or sights at undisturbed trophy Mule Deer buck than I do anywhere else. For people like me, our lands and our native species are the greatest treasure. As silly as it may sound to some of you, the Colorado River Cutthroat, Bonneville Cutthroat, Rocky Mountain Mule Deer..even Virgin River Chub and June Sucker are priceless, invaluable, irreplaceable treasures.

As the population expands, numbers of these gems decline. Once they are gone, what do we have left? Despite being conservative in just about every other area, I believe that there are some treasures so incredible that they should not be able to be owned or interfered with by one single person or group. I believe that it is an extremely difficult issue. What is the threshold? How do we define rare and irreplaceable? What land/species is worth seizing private property over? It's hard for me to say exactly. All I know is that besides my family, the wild things bring me the most happiness. Without them, this world would be a really crappy place. I am excited to see the river once the project is completed. I love the work being done on and around Utah lake.

I know I will get hammered for this post. With all that said, I feel for you. That has to be an absolutely powerless and miserable feeling. I hope you are paid fairly for the land and that you are able to make the most out of a crappy situation.