Carson can have the best of both worlds

Carson City truly can have the best of both worlds by selling open-space property to the U.S. Forest Service and arriving at some cooperative agreements to improve management of the area.

The land in question is 40 acres off Kings Canyon Road purchased by the city two years ago for $740,000. On Thursday, city supervisors will consider selling it to the Forest Service for $1.12 million.

We expect the supervisors to approve the deal, and they should. We're also glad the city's Open Space Advisory Committee raised its concerns about the ability of the federal government to manage forest lands near the city.

The problem isn't the cooperation of local managers of the Forest Service, who in our experience have generally tried to work with city officials and find ways to meet the desires of Carson City residents.

Instead, it's a much bigger issue - the massive federal bureaucracy, and the tight budget the Forest Service has had to work under. The federal lands surrounding Carson City are of utmost importance to residents, but not always to the Washington, D.C., decision-makers.

With cooperative agreements, city officials can have a say in how those lands are managed. More important, the city also faces a limit on the funds available to continue to purchase open space that people want to see remain free from development.

Another $1.12 million toward that effort will be greatly appreciated.

As Supervisor Robin Williamson pointed out, the public doesn't much care which government agency holds title to the land - as long as they are able to use it for hiking and recreation.

In the long run, cooperation among governments - like is seen with the feds and other counties, and with projects such as the Silver Saddle Ranch - is the best solution to preserving Carson's environs.