Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #27
* *************
Southwest Biodiversity Alert #27
*****************
*
*****
*****
*****
*
*
***
*
*
*
*
*
southwest center for biological
diversity
*
*
ksuckling@sw-center.org
*
*
http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/sw-center
*
******************************************************************
SPOTTED
OWL, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, OLD GROWTH PLAN APPEALED-
PLAN ALLOWS STEEP SLOPE
& OLD GROWTH LOGGING ON 11 NATIONAL FORESTS
The Southwest Center, the
Southwest Forest Alliance and Forest
Conservation Council have appealed a
Forest Service decision to amend
all 11 National Forest Plans in Arizona and
New Mexico to incorporate
new conservation plans for the Mexican spotted owl
and the Northern
goshawk. The amendments also changed regional old growth
definitions
and allocation procedures, and removed limitations on timber
sale
scheduling.
The amendments would have instituted an "ecosystem"
approach to
goshawk management. They ignore the demonstrated
habitat
requirements of the goshawk, in favor of the habitat needs
of
potential prey species. While goshawks favor large, unfragmented
tracts
of mature and old growth forest, the potential prey species,
can survive in a
highly fragmented mixture of young forest, old forest,
and openings. The
Forest Service plan calls for fragmenting the
entire ponderosa, mixed-conifer
and spruce-fir forest landscape into
1-4 patches, except within spotted owl
core area and goshawk nest
stands.
The amendments also allow continued
logging of old growth ponderosa
pine and steep slope logging. Both were
prohibitied by the analysis
in the Final EIS, but were removed without public
notice after
objections from the timber industry.
The amendments allow
grazing damage to continue across all 11
National Forests even though the
final EIS determined it would cause
adverse effect to listed species and
trends toward listing in other
riparian and aquatic species.
All
timber harvesting in the Southwest has be enjoined since August,
1995 pending
the completion of a Biological Opinion on the
amendments. A successful appeal
and/or litigation would likely
require a new alternative, a new Biological
Opinion and a
continuation of the
injunction.