4 ms·

what a bunch of scumbags, bought a beautiful island and puts easement on it to keep it in native state, and now wants to develop it

angusgr 15y ago
They seem to be fairly concerned with developing their collective while preserving the island's ecological state (say exactly that in the Kickstarter video.) Why else would they have put the easement on it at all? http://rabbitisland.tumblr.com/post/2748890542/rabbit-island-science-foundation http://rabbitisland.tumblr.com/post/2748890542/rabbit-island...
- angryasian 15y ago
  introducing humans to any ecological environment no matter how careful is going to ruin it. FYI: benefits of easement - http://www.michbar.org/journal/article.cfm?articleID=95&volumeID=8 http://www.michbar.org/journal/article.cfm?articleID=95&... •a federal income tax deduction for the value of the easement •the right to subtract the value of the easement from a decedent’s estate in calculating federal gift or estate taxes •the right to exclude 40 percent of the remainder value of land subject to the easement in calculating federal estate taxes
  - angusgr 15y ago
    I'll accept that introducing humans to any ecosystem is going to change it in one way or another. I think there's a pretty big [citation needed] over "ruin it". If they are aiming for a similar impact level to, say, a national park then that's a lot better than it being approved for broader development. As for the easement, in exchange for those things they "eliminate most or all development potential in order to protect some conservation value(s) of the property that provides a significant public benefit." (from that link.) Seems like one would need to look at the specific terms of the Rabbit Island easement in order to further quantify any claims.
    - eazolan 15y ago
      You're using logic. You have to see the world through a "Humans are evil and ruin everything they touch" lens.
    - pasbesoin 15y ago
      I'm familiar with an area a bit further west, and while overall the economy is still very depressed and the population remains sparse, prime properties (lakefront, near certain amenities) are being snapped up -- often by moneyed interests from downstate or out of state. What these fellows propose and appear to be executing, sounds much more conservative (in the a-political sense) than some alternatives I can imagine. And it appears that the State had no interest in acquiring the property, nor whichever county that is (probably cash-strapped and not eager to take on the management and liability). Artists retreats are also a bit of an established tradition. There's one further west, at Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park. And they seem to dot the upper peninsula (UP) and northern Wisconsin. It is a rare resource. I hope they treat it well.
SODaniel 15y ago
Personally I would probably consider a wood-cabin hippie commune pretty far removed from 'development'.
- prawn 15y ago
  Having rubbish/refuse management under control would help a lot.
  - sliverstorm 15y ago
    Hippie communes don't always seem to have that down... You'd think with the excitement over compost, they'd be able to figure out things like "clean" and "sanitation"... Note: Not directed at all hippies.
- pbhjpbhj 15y ago
  By development we mean, I think, altering the land use for human habitation/recreation/industry. Here it's arguably a mixture of habitation and recreation. Putting humans on there is going to alter the eco system unless they're going to (at great expense) take away all their leavings, not fell timber, not catch any rabbits for food, not fish, etc.. The place looks pretty small I'd say any habitation conflicts really with the aim of natural conservation. That said I think I'd love to live somewhere like that - don't think my family would move with me though.

angusgr 15y ago

They seem to be fairly concerned with developing their collective while preserving the island's ecological state (say exactly that in the Kickstarter video.) Why else would they have put the easement on it at all? http://rabbitisland.tumblr.com/post/2748890542/rabbit-island-science-foundation http://rabbitisland.tumblr.com/post/2748890542/rabbit-island...

angryasian 15y ago
introducing humans to any ecological environment no matter how careful is going to ruin it. FYI: benefits of easement - http://www.michbar.org/journal/article.cfm?articleID=95&volumeID=8 http://www.michbar.org/journal/article.cfm?articleID=95&... •a federal income tax deduction for the value of the easement •the right to subtract the value of the easement from a decedent’s estate in calculating federal gift or estate taxes •the right to exclude 40 percent of the remainder value of land subject to the easement in calculating federal estate taxes
- angusgr 15y ago
  I'll accept that introducing humans to any ecosystem is going to change it in one way or another. I think there's a pretty big [citation needed] over "ruin it". If they are aiming for a similar impact level to, say, a national park then that's a lot better than it being approved for broader development. As for the easement, in exchange for those things they "eliminate most or all development potential in order to protect some conservation value(s) of the property that provides a significant public benefit." (from that link.) Seems like one would need to look at the specific terms of the Rabbit Island easement in order to further quantify any claims.
  - eazolan 15y ago
    You're using logic. You have to see the world through a "Humans are evil and ruin everything they touch" lens.
  - pasbesoin 15y ago
    I'm familiar with an area a bit further west, and while overall the economy is still very depressed and the population remains sparse, prime properties (lakefront, near certain amenities) are being snapped up -- often by moneyed interests from downstate or out of state. What these fellows propose and appear to be executing, sounds much more conservative (in the a-political sense) than some alternatives I can imagine. And it appears that the State had no interest in acquiring the property, nor whichever county that is (probably cash-strapped and not eager to take on the management and liability). Artists retreats are also a bit of an established tradition. There's one further west, at Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park. And they seem to dot the upper peninsula (UP) and northern Wisconsin. It is a rare resource. I hope they treat it well.

SODaniel 15y ago

Personally I would probably consider a wood-cabin hippie commune pretty far removed from 'development'.

prawn 15y ago
Having rubbish/refuse management under control would help a lot.
- sliverstorm 15y ago
  Hippie communes don't always seem to have that down... You'd think with the excitement over compost, they'd be able to figure out things like "clean" and "sanitation"... Note: Not directed at all hippies.
pbhjpbhj 15y ago
By development we mean, I think, altering the land use for human habitation/recreation/industry. Here it's arguably a mixture of habitation and recreation. Putting humans on there is going to alter the eco system unless they're going to (at great expense) take away all their leavings, not fell timber, not catch any rabbits for food, not fish, etc.. The place looks pretty small I'd say any habitation conflicts really with the aim of natural conservation. That said I think I'd love to live somewhere like that - don't think my family would move with me though.