The Nature Conservancy Scandals

Sunday, August 2, 2009

The=20 real estate company that cares

The Native=20 Forest Council founder Timothy G. Hermach criticized the Nature = Conservancy for=20 its practice to sell land in Texas to its own trustees, who then allowed = drilling for oil in the formerly protected areas. After the press = exposed these=20 and other actions, the Nature Conservancy established a risk evaluation=20 committee and explored ways to mitigate the damage. Hermach still calls = the=20 conservancy =93the real estate company that cares.=94=20

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

TNC=20 sparks tax battle in Wisconsin

The Nature=20 Conservancy notified Sauk County Wisconsin officials that = the=20 organization would no longer be paying taxes on 9,000 acres located in several parcels. = TNC also = announced that it=20 was eliminating two local jobs due to financial difficulties. The change = will be=20 devastating to some local towns. An official for one of the towns = affected said=20 they would lose more than 50% of their tax revenue used to provide municipal = services. The=20 Nature Conservancy proposes making voluntary payments totaling about = half of the=20 former tax bill to help make up for the shortfall.
Other than the = federal=20 government, The Nature Conservancy is the only landowner with property = in all 50=20 states that is exempt from income taxes and can also stipulate that it = will not=20 pay local property taxes. One of the Wisconsin municipal officials is quoted as saying = "When they=20 purchased that property, they said they were going to be good residents = of the=20 municipalities and they were going to pay property taxes," said = supervisor Paul=20 Endres of = North=20 Freedom. "If they aren't going to pay property taxes, they should sell = the=20 property."
According to the most recent financial filings, The Nature = Conservancy had 1.4 billion in revenue and only $900 million in = expenses. As a=20 tax-exempt entity, the $500 million net revenue is also exempt from = income tax.=20

Saturday, February 7, 2009

The=20 Nature Conservancy blamed for decline in US fish population

The Nature=20 Conservancy is notoriously recognized in the "Cold, Dead Fish Awards in = 2008"=20 for their actions contributing to the decline of U.S. fish populations. = Indybay= .org=20 reports that this year's competition was fierce "as corrupt politicians, = agribusiness leaders, corporate polluters and their allies launched a = full-scale=20 offensive on the imperiled fish populations of California and the=20 West".

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/06/18568658.php=20

Friday, January 16, 2009

Paniced=20 municipalities blame The Nature Conservancy

Only hours=20 after The Nature Conservancy announced that it is reacting to property = tax=20 increases by refusing to pay them, local governments are responding by = warning=20 of the coming financial problems within their communities. Municipal = governments=20 pay for schools, roads and local services through property taxes. In = some=20 municipalities The Nature Conservancy is both the largest landowner and = the=20 largest taxpayer. If they don't pay their fair share, the community can = be=20 financially devastated.

The Nature Conservancy is the world's = largest=20 real estate broker with earned revenues and cash reserves that exceed = the=20 amounts of most of the nation's largest for-profit businesses. There is = no doubt=20 that The Nature Conservancy could afford to pay its tax bill. Municipal=20 governments do not have the legal authority to force The Nature = Conservancy to=20 pay taxes on property it owns so some people are now calling for federal = legislation to force The Nature Conservancy to pay.

When private = citizens and for-profit companies do not pay their real estate tax bill, = the=20 property can be seized and sold at auction in a process known as a "tax = sale".=20 This procedure does not currently apply to non-profit corporations like = The=20 Nature Conservancy. We support proposed federal legislation that would = extend=20 the same procedures to land owned by The Nature=20 Conservancy.

http://www.wiscnews.com/spe/news/432892=20

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The=20 Nature Conservancy cuts local WI school revenues

The Nature=20 Conservancy announced that it will stop paying taxes on the land it owns = in some=20 rural communities- taxes that local government use to fund schools, = roads and=20 other critical local services.

Rural communities that are locates = in=20 areas where The nature Conservancy is the largest landowner know that = they=20 cannot financially survive without TNCs support, so this could be the = beginning of=20 the end of these communities. We suppose that after some years of = struggle these=20 communities will deteriorate financially, people will move out, = foreclosures=20 will increase, and property values will fall.

But have no fear, = once the=20 communities start to look like ghost towns then The Nature Conservancy = will be=20 there to buy up the remaining properties from the former residents for = at=20 pennies on the former dollar value and then sell this land back to the = state's=20 taxpayers at a big = profit.

http://www.wiscnews.com/bnr/news/432811=20

Monday, October 13, 2008

13%=20 of earth now protected by environmentalists

The Nature=20 Conservancy turned heads earlier this year by announcing an ambitious = plan to=20 protect 10% of the world's total land. This appeared to be a strikingly=20 ambitious land acquisition endeavor; in fact the largest real estate = acquisition = proposal in=20 history. But with declining land prices and a worldwide credit crunch, = the=20 cash-rich Nature Conservancy has often the only available buyer to = farmers and=20 landowners who need to sell. It is not surprising that conservation land = deals are=20 moving forward at a record pace this year. Still, no one expected to = find such a=20 dramatic change in land conservation totals so quickly.

Now Mark = Spalding, = senior marine=20 scientist with The Nature Conservancy announces that 13% = of=20 the world's land surface is now protected open space in = a new=20 book "The World's Protected Areas, examines the relationship between = people=20 and protected areas". Mr. Spalding says that the amount of = protected land=20 is now equivalent in size to the total amount of the world's croplands. = It is=20 not clear whether TNC=20 underestimates the amount of land previously under=20 conservation prior to announcing its goal or whether the land = acquisition=20 project has progressed beyond its stated goals.

In the past The = Nature=20 Conservancy has relied primarily on a strategy of purchasing open land = from=20 private landowners and selling the land back to local governments at = higher=20 prices. This strategy vaulted TNC the world's wealthiest = organizations. More=20 recently, TNC began=20 promoting a conservation easement program that allows farmers and rural=20 landowners to continue to own and use the land, but prevented future=20 development. Purchasing easements is less expensive than purchasing land = and may=20 be better for preserving the stability of rural and agricultural=20 communities.

No comment has be issued by The Nature Conservancy = about how=20 this recent announcement of 13% will affect its plans for future land=20 acquisitions. It seems reasonable possible given the current worldwide = real estate=20 market that environmental groups like TNC could continue to acquire land at = a rapid=20 pace and possible boost the total amount of protected land to 15% to 20% = of the=20 earth's surface. It seems unlikely that attainment of the 10% goal would = deter=20 TNC from = future land=20 acquisitions.

Mr. Spalding = points out that=20 our waterways and oceans are not equally protected, with only 1/2 of one = percent=20 of the world's oceans under conservation easement. Freshwater protection = is even=20 lower. This might represent the next major "growth market" for TNC = acquisitions with=20 potential consequences on water users and fishing industries. Noting = that this=20 major announcement is made by a marine scientist lends credibility to my = suspicion that TNC=20 is gearing for an increase in oceanic and waterway ventures. The fact = that Mr.=20 Spalding's=20 announcement was strategically published overseas in The=20 Daily Telegraph rather than in more critical U.S. news sources (due = to the=20 current political debate on use of offshore oil reserves) also makes me = believe=20 that this book announcement is part of a larger strategic maneuver by = TNC.=20

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

conservation=20 at any cost

Coverage=20 of The Nature Conservancy's brokerage of Grandfather Mountain in North = Carolina=20 mentions by Triangle Business Journal completely ommitted the financial = details=20 of the deal. Taxpayers would likely be shocked at the hefty price they = are=20 paying for the brokerage services of The Nature Conservancy. Yet if news = reporters like this one at Triangle Busines Journal take their coverage = facts=20 solely from the press releases put out by The Nature Conservancy, we are = certain=20 to avoid focus on the cost to taxpayers or the huge brokerage payments = paid for=20 the deals. Clearly The Nature Conservancy relies on a "conservation at = any cost"=20 mentality of Americans today to continue to accrue hundreds of millions = of=20 profits (sorry, TNC is "non-profit" and non-taxable so we don't call the = money=20 "profits"). The ability to sell to taxpayers and governments makes TNC = the=20 world's largest and richest land broker.

We are not saying that = this deal=20 is not in the best interest of taxpayers or that the motives are = suspect, but we=20 are saying that full disclosure and reporting of the financial aspects = of these=20 huge transactions is absolutely essential.=20

Blog Archive

▼ =20 2009=20 (5)=20
- ▼ =20 August=20 (1)=20
  - The=20 real estate company that cares
- ► =
  May =
  (1)=20
  - TNC=20 sparks tax battle in Wisconsin
- ► =
  February= =20 (1)=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy blamed for decline in US fi... =
- ► =
  January<= /A>=20 (2)=20
  - Paniced=20 municipalities blame The Nature Conservanc...=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy cuts local WI school revenu...=20

► =
2008=20 (40)=20
- ► =
  October<= /A>=20 (2)=20
  - 13%=20 of earth now protected by environmentalists=20
  - conservation=20 at any cost
- ► =
  August=20 (3)=20
  - Partnering=20 with Poisoners=20
  - Funding=20 for the Environmentalist Industry=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy Criticized in Montana Meeti... =
- ► =
  July= =20 (1)=20
  - At=20 the Mercy of Environmentalists
- ► =
  June= =20 (3)=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy as an energy broker=20
  - TNC=20 clashes with Hawaii constitution=20
  - Protecting=20 developers from falling land prices
- ► =
  May =
  (4)=20
  
  Spin=20 breeds more spin=20
  L= andowners=20 Beware=20
  Tax=20 watchdogs criticize The Nature Conservancy dea...=20
  Georgia=20 Governor profits from land deal
- ► =
  April=20 (5)=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy vs. Native Americans=20
  - Florida=20 Thrills The Nature Conservancy=20
  - Montana=20 land deal gone bad=20
  - Conservation=20 easements=20
  - Will=20 whistleblower protection work at non-profits?... =
- ► =
  March=20 (18)=20
  - Nature=20 Conservancy in Virginia water conflict=20
  - Cashing=20 in on global warming=20
  - "Ba= it=20 and Switch"=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy is No Charity=20
  - Nature=20 Conservancy Sells land in NY=20
  - Ivory-billed=20 Woodpecker Scandal=20
  - copycat=20 uses The Nature Conservancy strategies to ...=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy turns to Social Media to Sp...=20
  - Bake=20 Sale for The Nature Conservancy=20
  - TNC=20 brokers most expensive debt for land deal=20
  - massive=20 land purchases creates hostility=20
  - undueinfluence.com=20 condemns The Nature Conservancy...=20
  - "How=20 to Bilk Taxpayers 101"=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy violates non-profit laws=20
  - IRS=20 fails to stop The Nature Conservancy=20
  - H= ow=20 it all begins=20
  - FOR=20 SALE - Lodge in TN=20
  - Staten=20 Island CA land deal scandal
- ► =
  February= =20 (4)=20
  - Why=20 The Nature Conservancy opposes biofuel=20
  - The=20 Nature Conservancy Burns Forests in Arkansas=20
  - Newcomb=20 New York poised to be next victim=20
  - Birth=20 of The Nature Conservancy Scandal Blog=20

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