How can Oberlin College in good conscience plan to build an environmentally-friendly Environmental Studies building and, at the same time, plan to sell Clark Farm - otherwise known as the "soon to be wet" lands.
Once upon a time, Oberlin College rented out its wetlands to be used as farmland, but now the land is refilling with water and soon will only be useful for either endangered species of birds or, apparently, people.
It would cost too much money to make the land farmable again, but not too much to drain it - the land, by the way, is located conveniently within Oberlin's corporation limits. Once the land is drained it can be developed and the lucky person who buys it will make a lot of money.
Ohio is losing a battle between developers and the endangered (and nonendangered) species living on the remaining 10 percent of its wetlands. Oberlin has control of a small portion of that 10 percent, a portion that one day could be the difference between no endangered species-filled land and some endangered species-filled land. Oberlin College has the chance to save at least three birds from extinction - the Great Egret, the Loggerhead Shrike and the Eastern Bluebird, who will all presumably be grateful for the effort.
Unfortunately, the College is following a different drum: carpe pecuniam. Seize the money.
Don't worry, though, Oberlin will use that money to create an Environmental Studies center that everyone can be proud of. Right?
Copyright © 1996, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 124, Number 22; April 26, 1996
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