or are the taxpayers the ones who deserve credit?

-
Taking Credit: Arnold Schwarzenegger is the great savior of California's environment (??)

--so says his press office:

(Curiously, his office gives no thanks to the land trusts, the taxpayers who've paid for the land either directly or with giving tax write-offs to landowners, to the groups filing lawsuits to halt sprawl, and everyone else who has worked tirelessly for the cause.) ---the editor
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Here is the Governor's press release:

2/6/2010

http://gov.ca.gov/fact-sheet/14280

"How much land has been protected, conserved, acquired in each of the years
Governor Schwarzenegger has held office?

2003: 50,084 Acres
2004: 167,758 Acres
2005: 30,986 Acres
2006: 59,580 Acres
2007: 57,757 Acres
2008: 38,389 Acres
Total: 404,555 Acres

Note: Hearst Ranch (2004-2005) is included in the above figures (82,000
Acres); Tejon Ranch (2008) is not included (240,000 Acres), which would bring
the total under Gov. Schwarzenegger to 644,555 Acres.

How much land has been protected, conserved, acquired in total since the
Governor took office? (Simple math using the answer to the previous questions
gets this answer)

Gov. Schwarzenegger: 11/03-Present
Total: 404,555 Acres (with Tejon; 644,555 Acres)

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How much land was protected, conserved, acquired by each of the previous
Governor's going back to Jerry Brown?

Gov. Brown: 1/75-12/82
1975: 5,873 Acres
1976: 17,300 Acres
1977: 5,396 Acres
1978: 30,324 Acres
1979: 7,073 Acres
1980: 16,299 Acres
1981: 11,346 Acres
1982: 5,051 Acres
Total: 98,663 Acres

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Gov. Deukmejian: 1/83-12/90
1983: 4,502 Acres
1984: 4,689 Acres
1985: 22,098 Acres
1986: 13,748 Acres
1987: 8,648 Acres
1988: 22,880 Acres
1989: 13,803 Acres
1990: 24,031 Acres
Total: 114,400 Acres

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Gov. Wilson: 1/91-12/98
1991: 15,663 Acres
1992: 7,581 Acres
1993: 12,950 Acres
1994: 18,288 Acres
1995: 11,493 Acres
1996: 7,836 Acres
1997: 26,050 Acres
1998: 9,120 Acres
Total: 108,951 Acres

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Gov. Davis: 1/99-11/03
1999: 24,518 Acres
2000: 60,166 Acres
2001: 146,848 Acres
2002: 63,103 Acres
2003: 88,368 Acres
Total: 383,004 Acres


Has Governor Schwarzenegger protected, conserved or acquired more land than
any other Governor? (Simple math using the answer to the previous questions gets
this answer) Yes. In land acquisitions alone, the administration has conserved
more than 400K acres. Add Hearst Ranch (82,000), Tejon Ranch (240,000) and
Wildlife Conservation Board since 2004 (125,000) and this is more than any other
governor.


If we use Sierra Nevada Conservancy at 25 million acres, this number
increases dramatically. However, Sierra Nevada is a special treatment. The acres
cover all or part of 22 counties. Roughly 60 percent of the land area is already
in the public domain. It is driven by many economic factors including business
development, sustainable forestry, (reduce the risk of natural disasters, such
as wildfire), improved water quality, working landscapes, support of the
regional economy, enhanced public use of public lands, etc. Promotes recreation
in the region; protect, conserve and restore the physical, cultural,
archaeological, historic and living resources."