What to do when onerous regulation threatens property rights? Get out the chainsaws. (This isn't Europe.) From the New York Times:

Over the past six months, landowners here have been clear—cutting thousands of trees to keep them from becoming homes for the endangered red—cockaded woodpecker. The chain saws started in February, when the federal Fish and Wildlife Service put Boiling Spring Lakes on notice that rapid development threatened to squeeze out the woodpecker.

The chain saws started in February, when the federal Fish and Wildlife Service put Boiling Spring Lakes on notice that rapid development threatened to squeeze out the woodpecker.

The agency issued a map marking 15 active woodpecker "clusters," and announced it was working on a new one that could potentially designate whole neighborhoods of this town in southeastern North Carolina as protected habitat, subject to more—stringent building restrictions.

Hoping to beat the mapmakers, landowners swarmed City Hall to apply for lot—clearing permits. Treeless land, after all, would not need to be set aside for woodpeckers. Since February, the city has issued 368 logging permits, a vast majority without accompanying building permits.

The average American is much smarter than the average solon.

Clarice Feldman   9 24 06