EAGLESTAR.NET LAND AND PROPERTY REVIEW
http://www.eaglestar.net
Issue #42
November 10, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE:
Properties of the Week: KY, NC, CA
Special Report: Forests and Global Water Shortages
Sponsor's Corner: 41 Acres KY Hunting Land
Top 10 Searches
Auction News: KS, KY, MO, OK, TX, VA
LandTerms.com Term of the Week: Aquifer


"In an age when man has forgotten his origins and is blind even to his most
essential needs for survival, water along with other resources has become the
victim of his indifference."
- from Silent Spring (1962)
- Rachel Carson (American biologist and nature writer, b. 1907 - d. 1964)


PROPERTIES OF THE WEEK
Home, Business, Acreage - Purchase One or All
Edmonton, Adair County, Kentucky
Great opportunity to buy home and small business all in one purchase, or
property also available without business. This property is within 7 minutes of
new Super Wal-Mart and this 12.87+/- acres offers a private country location
with an abundance of wildlife on a dead-end road. Property is fenced and
cross-fenced for livestock, with 5+/- acres cleared and remainder wooded.
Mobile home has 3 bedrooms, bath, utility room, living room, kitchen and dining
room. Property also has another mobile home that is currently being used for an
office, that could be used as another residence or guest home, and 3
outbuildings. Business has two 1997 Freightliners with two flatbed trailers.
Business has existed for 3 years and is incorporated. Listing ID: 21470. View
photos and more information at http://www.eaglestar.net/brg.html.

4 Acre Home Site
Oxford, Granville County, North Carolina
Lovely, rolling land with city water nearby, close to Kerr Lake. For sale by
owner, perc tested, new survey, and a great price. Listing ID: 21487. Photos
and additional information are available at http://www.eaglestar.net/dle.html.

Triplex Apartment Building For Sale
Eureka, Humboldt County, California
Good rental history. Units are light and in good condition with lots of owner
involvement and well maintained. Coin-op laundry adds extra income. Owner has
completed updating of the units this year. Listing ID: 20748. Photos and
additional information at http://www.eaglestar.net/ekt14-.html.


SPECIAL REPORT
I Can't See the Stream for the Forest
Part 1: Trees and Global Water Shortages

The Nile has dried up and Egypt has declared war on Norway, seeking control of
its vast reserves of ice and water. If this sounds like the plot of some
futuristic science fiction novel or movie, you would be right. If you think it
sounds farfetched and without logical basis in reality, you might want to think
again. A global water crisis looms and the future is turning into the present
faster than we can imagine. The United States is not exempt from the threat of
water shortages; water demand continues to outstrip sustainable supply in the
southwestern U.S. as its population skyrockets. Even the relatively water-rich
southeastern U.S. has seen recent problems, as when demand for water in
Georgia, Florida, and Alabama caused worrisome drops in Lake Lanier, an
important regional reservoir.

There is something that owners of forested and wooded properties can do to help
the situation. In the U.S., this includes our national forests, of which all
citizens are joint owners. With respect to water supply, national forests and
other public lands are of particular importance in the Southwest, due to its
arid climate and the relatively high percentage of public land ownership. Over
the next few issues, the Land and Property review will present a special report
on the issue of water shortages and how proper forest management can help to
protect and even augment current supplies. Part 1 offers an overview of the
issue of worldwide water shortages.

The Global Water Crisis
The numbers are shocking. More than 14,000 people die from diseases related to
a lack of clean water every day. More than 2 billion people worldwide suffer
from severe water shortages, with this number expected to grow to at least 4
billion by 2050. The World Bank has reported that 80 countries are
experiencing water shortages that pose economic or public health threats. "In
this context, we cannot expect water conflicts to always be amenably resolved,"
according to an article by the University of Arizona's Water Resources Research
Center (WRRC).

The WRRC's assertion is probably somewhat of an understatement. According to
Lester Brown, president of the Worldwatch Institute, political instability
results when water supplies run low. A 2005 documentary entitled "Running Dry"
predicts that large-scale armed conflicts will occur when countries run out of
water. As the film's narrator, actress Jane Seymour, states, “ Nations fight
over oil, but as valuable as it is, there are substitutes for oil. However,
there are no substitutes for water."

It should really come as no surprise that nations may some day wage war in
search of water. After all, wars and battles have been fought over land, oil,
and other natural resources since the dawn of man. Some regions of the world
may already be on the brink. At least 12 countries depend on water from rivers
that flow from neighboring hostile countries. Recently, arguments complete
with threats erupted over the use of a river shared by Iran, Turkey, and Syria.

Why Is This Happening?
In 2005, Bennett Raley, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water
and science, said, “Unlike the past century, when water crises were intense but
typically occurred in drought years and only affected resources and economies
of local and regional importance, water supply-related crises in this century
will affect economies and resources of national and international importance
unless we take action now.” But what action can we take? The problem is so
large, so complex, and so long in the making that it can seem insurmountable.
However, it is through the combined effects of numerous forward steps, both
small and large, that the world water crisis can be stamped out. Says former
U.S. Senator Paul Simon in his book "Tapped Out: The Coming World Crisis in
Water and What We Can Do About It", "Aroused citizens (must) ...demand of their
leadership actions reflecting vision, understanding and courage".

Simply put, unregulated population growth, water overallocation and use, and
the transformation of formerly fertile areas into deserts must be addressed if
we are to have any hope of solving the world water dilemma. Water supplies
cannot possibly keep pace with the current rate of population growth. This is
certainly not the only problem, however. Water use has increased 600% since
1900 with only a 200% increase in population, due mainly to rising standards of
living and increases in irrigated agriculture. Finally, farming practices that
result in increased soil salinity and decreased fertility coupled with
over-extraction of ground water are causing some regions of the Earth to
actually turn into deserts. Tons of irreplaceable topsoil are thus lost to wind
and water erosion.

Another threat to the global water supply is the declining health of the
world's forests. Whether water for human use is obtained from rivers, springs,
lakes, reservoirs, or pumped from underground aquifers, the majority of it
originates in forested areas. Forests already face a number of damaging agents
such as fire and severe wind events that occur naturally (known collectively as
"disturbances"), but these are actually necessary processes, part of the
continuous cycle of forest regeneration and succession. Many species depend on
such disturbances to survive. Lodgepole pine cannot regenerate in the absence
of fire; quaking aspen will grow only after a disturbance like wind has created
sunlit openings in previously closed and shadowed forest.

Many actions of humans have had the effects of interrupting or altering these
natural processes in ways that are detrimental to forest health. These include
irresponsible forest harvest practices, suppression of natural wildfires,
overgrazing by livestock, "slash and burn" agriculture, and the release of vast
amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. This last item is especially
troublesome, because we cannot accurately predict the effects of global climate
change on the world's forests, other than to say they're probably not going to
be good.

What We Can Do
Possible solutions to global water shortages include desalination of sea water,
which has shown recent promise in the Middle East but does not seem to be a
concept which is fully embraced in the U.S. Public health and sex education
programs can help to slow exploding population growth and make more clean water
available by reducing water pollution, especially in developing countries. Some
have advocated using the open market to allocate and distribute water, although
critics charge that one has only to look to oil as an example of the
impracticality of this idea. Because we must have water to live, we will pay
any amount for it. A market approach to water supply and distribution would
thus invite corruption, price-gouging, and rampant speculation. Conservation
agriculture programs like the one operated by the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization that emphasize affordable, sustainable farming
practices have shown great promise. Programs such as these can help to prevent
desertification and increase crop productivity and soil fertility with minimal
water use.

Perhaps the very best way to ensure water for the future is to make better use
of the water we already have. Conservation on an individual or municipal scale
has a proven track record, and begins with an awareness that each drop of water
is precious - and that we have been taking that fact for granted. Finally, we
should consider seriously the idea of surface water augmentation through
vegetation management - changing the structure of forested areas in planned and
deliberate ways so as to achieve a variety of objectives, the main one being
increases in streamflow and surface water runoff.

The primary mechanism responsible for water shortages where they occur is the
depletion of surface water (river) systems and groundwater supplies (aquifers),
which is occurring on an unprecedented scale. There are three locations
globally where water overallocation and overuse are of special concern, because
of the likelihood that unregulated population growth will soon cause serious
water shortages. These areas, two of which are deserts dependent mainly on a
single large river system for its water, are the Nile in Africa, the Ganges in
Asia, and the Colorado River Basin of the southwestern United States. In Part
2 of our special report, we will examine the particular water problems faced by
the Southwest and present a possible solution, one which is certainly not
without controversy.

In future articles we will examine water and forest health issues in different
regions of North America. Planned are the Pacific Northwest, the Southeast, the
Lakes Region, the Northeast, and the Canadian provinces. If we left your
region out and you would like us to research the issues there, please let us
know. If you are aware of any specific water quality, water supply, or forest
health topics, both locally and regionally, that you feel are of particular
concern, let us know that as well. email: newsletter@eaglestar.net


SPONSOR'S CORNER
The Land and Property Review would like to thank this week's sponsor:

41 Acres Kentucky Hunting Land
Horse Cave, Hart County, Kentucky
Located off Fisher Ridge Road near Horse Cave, this 41+/- acre parcel has just
been reduced in price. Mostly wooded, excellent hunting tract, end of road and
locked-gate privacy. Beautiful views, close to Mammoth Cave National Park, 5
miles off Interstate 65. Shown by appointment. Agent owned. Listing ID: 21234.
View photos and more information at http://www.eaglestar.net/krr.html.


AUCTION NEWS
Browse thumbnail photos and short property descriptions at
http://www.eaglestar.net/Land_Auction_Calendar/index.html.

34 Acres with Rustic Log Cabin
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Argyle, Denton County, Texas
34+/- acres with log cabin and detached 2-car garage with apartment in a
country setting within 30 miles of Ft. Worth and Dallas. Location is east of
Hwy 35W in Denton, TX in the desirable Argyle School District. Property has
wildlife and is partially wooded, with Brush Creek running through, two ponds,
pasture and native grasses. Rock landscaping including outdoor fireplace, well
house, patio, bathtub, sprinkler system, and rock/concrete pond. Listing ID:
21265. Photo and additional information at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww4.html.

Home and 28 Acres in 3 Parcels
Friday, November 14, 2008
Afton, Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Home and 28+/- acres in 3 parcels, 2 miles north of Sail Boat Bridge, Grove,
OK. Rural setting conveniently located near Grove, a town that maintains
small-town traditions and good solid values while being the largest city on
Grand Lake. Opportunity to purchase property with excellent Hwy 59 frontage
offering commercial possibilities. Parcels have native grasses, mature trees,
pasture and rolling terrain.
Parcel 1: 5+/- acres. Includes 3BR, 2BA, 2,174+/- square foot wood siding home
built in 1960. Home has wall furnace, window air conditioner, well, septic and
storm cellar.
Parcel 2: 14+/- acres.
Parcel 3: 9+/- acres.
Listing ID: 21264. More information and a photo can be found at
http://www.eaglestar.net./ww6.html.

Land Auction, 290 Acres in 10 Tracts
Friday, November 14, 2008
Springfield, Greene County, Missouri
These parcels are part of the former Underwood Farms and have been held by the
same family for generations. The 290+/- acres is being offered in 10 tracts,
which may be assembled by a purchaser of multiple parcels. Parcels have
excellent road frontage, including Parcel 10 with Hwy 60 frontage. Located
within Springfield growth corridor, but convenient to Rogersville. Property
features a mix of grasses, pastures, rolling terrain, woods and several ponds.
Parcels range in size from 10+/- acres to 50+/- acres. Listing ID: 21430.
Photos and details are available at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww7.html.

Land Auction, 76 Acres in 3 Tracts
Friday, November 14, 2008
Springfield, Greene County, Missouri
76+/- acres in a prime location east of Springfield, MO with excellent
potential for investment, development, ranchettes or residential estates.
Growing area with convenient access to both Springfield and Rogersville.
Parcels range in size from 10+/- acres to 40+/- acres and are located within
minutes of the conveniences of Springfield or Rogersville. All parcels have
access via county road. Listing ID: 21431. Photos and more information can be
found at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww1.html.

Commercial Property and Residence For Sale
Friday, November 14, 2008
Chetopa, Labette County, Kansas
Three commercial buildings (formerly Barr Lumber, Hardware and Antiques) and
residence for sale in Chetopa, KS near Oklahoma/Missouri state lines. Some
equipment and inventory will also be sold. This property is located on 8 city
lots along busy Highway 50/166. Commercial buildings are 1 metal and 2 frame
structure; residence is 3 bedroom, 1 bath, 1,370+/-0 square feet with a 2-car
garage. Three commercial buildings and residence on 8 city lots along busy Hwy
50/166. Listing ID: 21432. Photos and additional information are at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww2.html.

63 Acres Investment, Development, or Residence
Friday, November 14, 2008
Rogersville, Webster County, Missouri
63+/- acres in Rogersville, MO, just west and south of Sawyer Creek
Subdivision. Opportunity to purchase land for personal residence, residential
development or investment. Excellent infill investment opportunity. Property is
located in City of Rogersville (approximately 10 miles east of Springfield).
Surrounded by established neighborhoods, property is mostly pasture with
rolling terrain, some trees and pond. Listing ID: 21437. Find photos and more
at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww5.html.

Allen Farm, 43 Acres in 4 Parcels
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Keswick, Albermarle County, Virginia
A magnificent country estate set against the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah mountain
ranges, these 4 parcels totaling 43.3+/- acres feature world-class equestrian
facilities and four bedroom ranch-style homes with spectacular mountain views.
Parcels range in size from 5+/- acres to 20+/- acres. Listing ID: 21434.
Photos and additional information are available at
http://www.eaglestar.net/Detailed/21434.html.

Western Kentucky Prime Farm Land
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky
This 2,040+/- acre, highly productive farm in western Kentucky is one of the
finest agricultural complexes in the entire state. It includes a 60,000 bushel
grain storage facility with dryers, maintained roadways and ditches for access
and drainage, well kept office, shop, and sheds. A beautiful 4 bedroom, 4 bath
brick ranch-style home, and a mobile home with lot will also be sold. The
entire northern boundary has frontage along Pond River and Elk Creek. This area
includes woods for hunting trophy deer, excellent waterfowl hunting, and a
serene 50+/ acre lake. The farm will be offered in 19 tracts with combinations
to suit the bidders using the "Freedom Tract" method. Listing ID: 21483. Photos
and more information are at http://www.eaglestar.net/Detailed./21483.html.


LAST WEEK'S TOP 10
The top 10 search words and phrases on EagleStar.net for the week of 11/2 -
11/8, and some other interesting searches along with their ranks.
1. Texas
2. New Mexico
3. Colorado
4. Oregon
5. Kentucky
6. North Carolina
7. Tennessee
8. Montana
9. Arkansas
10. Idaho
30. poultry farm with 3 to to 4 homes
49. real estate for rent in GA
50. rural southern Illinois homes for sale
51. small horse farm levy co FL
65. cabins
79. Kingman AZ foreclosures two story home
88. ranch land northern California


LANDTERMS.COM TERM OF THE WEEK
http://landterms.com
Each issue we feature a real estate, forestry, natural sciences or other
land-related term from our partner site, LandTerms.com.

This week's term: Aquifer
An underground geologic stratum or formation through which water can percolate
or be transmitted. Flow of water within an aquifer or between aquifers is
usually quite slow, and can occur any direction. There are two primary types of
aquifers: confined and unconfined.

Browse thousands of terms, definitions, quotations, abbreviations, and more -
all related to real estate, land, or natural resources at
http://landterms.com/categories.html.


SUGGESTIONS
We welcome reader suggestions, comments, and questions.
Email: newsletter@eaglestar.net

ARCHIVES
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