Letter: Speaker provided misleading information at Badger Club debate

In the recent Badger Club debate over federal land control, Ken Ivory of the American Land Council stated that less than 1 percent of land in Florida is controlled by the federal government.

There are 11 national parks, three national forests and a national scenic trail, which combine to total 16 percent of the land in Florida (National Forest Land and Management Plan).

The Bundys and the occupiers of the Malheur Refuge are motivated for personal control of the lands near or bordering their properties and are seeking lower fees for use of these public lands.

Providing misleading and out-of-context information, especially when unchallenged, promotes the intentional misuse of public resources. These self-serving individuals and groups need to be held accountable.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Letter: Speaker provided misleading information at Badger Club debate."