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\ SOUTHWEST BIODIVERSITY ALERT
#150
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\
9-3-98
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\ SOUTHWEST CENTER FOR
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
/
\ http://www.sw-center.org
/
\________________________________________/
1. ARIZONA EXPEDITION TEAM
COMPLETES HIKE OF AZ TRAIL
2. SOUTHWEST CENTER RELEASED A DETAILED REPORT
SHOWING SOUTHWESTERN
WILLOW FLYCATCHER IS GOING EXTINCT, WHILE
THE FISH AND WILDLIFE
SERVICE PLAYS POLITICS
3. CHICAGO
TRIBUNE COVERS DON YOUNG'S WITCH HUNT
***** *****
***** ******
ARIZONA EXPEDITION TEAM COMPLETES HIKE OF
AZ TRAIL
On July 30th, the Arizona Expedition Team completed their hike
of the
Arizona Trail. Sponsored by the Southwest Center, the hike
was
designed to promote environmental responsibility along the
way.
Several Southwest Center members met the team when they were
near
Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff and were fascinated by the
team's
experiences and stories of countless spectacular, and
some
devastated, remote areas of Arizona. Greg Jones, the
Arizona
Expedition Team's leader, kept a journal which can be found on
the
Southwest Center's website, http://www.sw-center.org.
__________
SOUTHWEST
CENTER RELEASED A DETAILED REPORT SHOWING SOUTHWESTERN
WILLOW FLYCATCHER IS
GOING EXTINCT, WHILE THE FISH AND WILDLIFE
SERVICE PLAYS POLITICS
The
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity issued a report today
showing the
Southwestern willow flycatcher will go extinct if a
change in management does
not occur. The report, titled "Betrayal of
an Endangered Species:
Status and Management of the Southwestern
willow flycatcher," compiles data
from numerous sources on population
numbers, reproduction, threats and
management of the flycatcher,
which all indicate the flycatcher will continue
to decline.
The report shows the flycatcher has declined to approximately
450
pairs in less than 70 widely scattered and isolated locations,
placing
the flycatcher at risk of rapid extinction. The primary cause
of the
flycatcher's perilous status is loss of habitat to livestock
grazing, dams,
invasive species, and agricultural and urban
development. The flycatcher also
is threatened by nest parasitism
from the brown-headed cowbird and nest
predation.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for consulting
with
other federal agencies to ensure they are not jeopardizing
the
continued existence of any endangered species. During
consultation,
the Fish and Wildlife Service has issued permits to destroy
nearly
25% of the total population.
The Southwest Center's report
recommends a series of sweeping
reforms, which includes removing cattle from
all streams on public
lands, establishing in-stream flow rights, managing
dams to increase
riparian vegetation and a ban on further development in
river
floodplains.
As a result of two lawsuits by the Southwest
Center, the flycatcher
was listed as an endangered species in
1995.
Full report available on our website: http://www.sw-center.org
__________
CHICAGO
TRIBUNE COVERS DON YOUNG'S WITCH HUNT
In late July, Don Young (R-AK) sent
a letter to the US Forest
Service's Southwest Regional Supervisor, making
many demands
including the names of personnel who are members of
environmental
groups. The story has been covered by many local and national
news
media, characterizing the inquiry as McCarthyism, and Witch
Hunting.
A chilling of communication with the public has been the
result.
The Chicago Tribune interviewed a Forest Service employee who
openly
stated being a member of the Sierra Club, and Erik Ness, director
of
communications for the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau. It
seems
Ness believes it's OK for agency personnel to be members of the
Farm
Bureau, but not "radical environmental groups." He defines radical
as
any group that wants to put "ranchers out of business."
It seems
the conflict of interest that Don Young and Erik Ness are
alluding to is one
that conflicts with the interest of ranchers not
protection of public lands
and
wildlife.
____________________________________________________________________________
Shane
Jimerfield
Tel: 520.623.5252,
ext. 302
Assistant Director
Fax:
520.623.9797
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity
email: sjimerfield@sw-center.org
PO Box 710, Tucson AZ
85702-0710
http://www.sw-center.org