Overview - Property Rights and 'Wise Use'

They have also been involved in episodes of slander and even open misrepresentation during legal proceedings. One notorious example involved Ron Arnold’s attempt to fabricate a link between a New Zealand environmental group and ecoterrorist activities in the United States, which was eventually exposed when the court investigated his sources. He also failed in another attempt to tie environmentalists to the murder of a U.S. Forest Service employee (SourceWatch, 2007).

Though still dangerously strong, as of this writing the Wise Use Movement is losing ground. Recent scientific advancements in environmentally relevant areas such as global warming and endangered species have received more media attention then they have in previous years, as have the activities and tactics of many Wise Use fronts. This has rendered their disinformation campaigns increasingly ineffective and difficult to organize. Much of their core financial support has also been indirectly eroded by increasing discontent with the Bush Administration. Today, they remain a force to be reckoned with, and environmentalists still have reason to fear them. But their days are numbered—a fact they seem to be aware of given the increasingly shrill nature of their rhetoric.

References

Arnold, R. and A. Gottlieb. 1998. “Trashing the Economy: How Runaway Environmentalism Is Wrecking America”. Free Enterprise Press, 2nd Edition, October 1998. Available online from Amazon.com at www.amazon.com/Trashing-Economy-Runaway-Environmentalism-Wrecking/dp/093957117X/ref=sr_1_10/105-8323284-7614827?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180909934&sr=8-10.

Canadian Library of Parliament, Political and Social affairs Division, Research Branch. 1992. "The Share Phenomenon." Forest Planning Canada, 8, No. 4.

Halpin, J. and P. de Armond. 1995. “The Merchant of Fear”. Albion Monitor, August 19, 1995. Available online at www.albionmonitor.com/8-19-95/merchant.html. Accessed June 3, 2007.

Media Transparency. 2007. Recipient Profile: Mountain States Legal Foundation. Media Transparency Online. Available online at www.mediatransparency.org/recipientprofile.php?recipientID=1082. Accessed June 3, 2007.

Halpin, J. and P. de Armond. 1995. “The Merchant of Fear”. Albion Monitor, August 19, 1995. Available online at www.albionmonitor.com/8-19-95/merchant.html. Accessed June 3, 2007.

SourceWatch. 2007. “Ron Arnold”. SourceWatch Online. Available online at www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ron_Arnold. Accessed June 3, 2007.

Watt, James. 1991. “The Earth’s Storm troopers”. Phoenix New Times, August 7, 1991. Available online at search.phoenixnewtimes.com/1991-08-07/news/the-earth-s-storm-troopers/. Accessed June 3, 2007.