Whither Ruby Farm? Preservation, or Pabst Farms II

Another major piece of Waukesha County - - Ruby Farm - - is being tugged in opposite directions - - development, or 'development,' or preservation.

The key paragraph in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story about Ruby Farm, linked above, tells the tale:

"A road-widening project scheduled for next year will demolish part of the farmstead. The fate of the remainder lies with a developer who bought the farm and adjacent vacant land."

You'd think that at some point there would be a therapeutic shock of recognition, a bolt of awareness, an "ah-ha" moment that would put the traffic congestion, water depletion and rising taxes for local services in Waukesha County into bold view, along these lines:

The more people you cram into once-open spaces, the more the negatives outweigh the positives, including lost heritage and future sustainability.

   Wisconsin's landmark land stewardship fund is up for reauthorization in 2007-'09 budget deliberations, with a key vote likely quite soon at the state legislature's Joint Committee on Finance.

The long-standing, bi-partisan program ensures that some of the best undeveloped areas in Wisconsin remain in the public domain.

Contacts to legislators in support of the program are vital: Gathering Waters, a statewide conservation organization, has posted information about whom to contact, and how.

No better time than now.