The Bush Administration has agreed to have a respected scientific panel review the Spotted Owl plan according to The Oregonian.
Pressure mounted, as scientists and Senator Wyden called bullshit on the adminstration's draft plan for the spotted owl which would have dramatically boost logging in old-growth forests and undercut endangered species protection.
Much of the scrutiny focuses on Julie MacDonald, a former deputy assistant secretary of fish, wildlife and parks that tampered with scientific findings in the Northwest.
For a solid look at the Bush Adminstration's War on Science, check out this article from Wired.
2 comments:
The timber industry argument boils down to this: "We tried to save the spotted owl by protecting habitat and it did not work, so let's try NOT protecting habitat." Let's turn this around on them by pointing out that logging continued unabated on private industrial timberlands. It's no surprise that owl population continued to decline while the timber industry continued their assault on forests. Owls did far better on federal lands where habitat was at least partially protected. In the face of the barred owl, our forest need more protection, not less. Oh yeah, did I mention that climate change makes logging mature forest (owl habitat) more senseless than ever? Those forests safely store large amounts of carbon, and logging releases most of that stored carbon to the atmosphere. It's a no-brainer except for those who profit from pillage.
Well put. I worked in California for a spell as a fish biologist for a private timber company. We had a larger and healthier population of spotted owls than our neighbors...Redwood National and State parks. There is a balance, but I do think that Oregon could stand to practice more agressive timber harvest practices that not only protect the spotted owl but our native populations of salmonids as well.
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