The recession has somewhat suppressed the brouhaha over the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and the demand for land for human use as opposed to use by other species. Perhaps this is an opportune time to examine the fundamental cosmological nature of land, that is, territory.

In this regard, Earth may be viewed as an essentially completed system. There is no virgin territory on the surface of the earth. But take Mars as an exemplar. With the exception of the few landers we have deposited there, the planet seems devoid of life capable of asserting territorial claims. If we do populate the planet, the territorial imperative must be understood and accounted for, lest we infect our conflicts and bond elections on this innocent, unsuspecting planet.

Will committees be organized to create conservation plans? Will large parts of the planet have to be maintained in their pristine condition? Will mere humans be considered unworthy of occupying the wild and scenic parts of that planet?

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David Grinspoon, a NASA-funded scientist, has written in Slate magazine questioning our right to people (now used as a verb meaning roughly, to populate) Mars. Although he arrives at it through the prism of political correctness, the question he asks is still terrestrial in application.

He dismisses claiming the entire planet for the United States as “extreme,” citing a United Nations treaty expressly prohibiting national territorial claims off-world. Oh, yes, the UN would love to extend its jurisdiction to the rest of the galaxy. But setting aside that jarring thought, the treaty puts the other planets on a basis similar to Antarctica here on earth.

The south polar continent is the only place on earth that has been internationalized and is not subject to claim. But even that may be illusory. Any nation can build a base there. So far, it isn’t overcrowded and no squabbles have broken out over territory.

Similarly, when we start putting settlements on Mars, the supply of land will exceed the demand. Unless there are creatures found on Mars that need protection, which we will no doubt do by extending the Endangered Species Act, stymieing all human activity on that planet, there will be preferences based on location for people to occupy one place over another.

And as locations become more scarce, disputes will erupt over the right to occupy certain territory. Who will allocate rights and on what basis? Will we have some kind of gauzy everything-belongs-to-everyone-and-no-one kind of ownership (“That planet is the heritage of all mankind.”) or will we import the rational system we use in the civilized portions of earth, complete with surveys, deeds, and impact fees?

It will ultimately prove necessary to have some rational system that assures the peaceful rights to territory. Possession of territory is a fundamental need of all living things. It is axiomatic to say everything has to be somewhere, but also needs to make it as secure is it can.

Underlying the terrestrial system of territorial possession lies the ultimate force in the universe, physical force itself. The hardiest plant will commandeer the space it needs to put down its roots and spread its leaves. Punier plants will have to yield.

The stronger animals take the territory they need to the extent that they physically can. They may have to displace another creature to do it, but then they will have to defend their territory against other claimants.

Nations acquire territory in the same way, by taking and holding possession by force. The strong prevail, the weak perish. Our civilized system of registry with the government relies upon the government to apply the force necessary to allocate the territory. But if that government fails, falls victim to a stronger government, then those territorial claims it guaranteed may become worthless.

This is not a pretty system, but it is the one we see everywhere animals or plants compete for life. Whether we realize it or not, it underlies on a theoretical level all issues of territoriality.

Contact Lionel Waxman at territorial@waxmanmedia or visit his website: www.newsflashpoint.com.