No. 316, August 28, 2002

**********************************
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Biodiversity Activist
August 28, 2002
www.biologicaldiversity.org

**********************************

REGIONAL DIRECTOR BLASTS SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST FOR GRAZING
ABUSE

GILA NATIONAL FOREST ALLOTMENT SAVED FROM LIVESTOCK

TONTO NATIONAL FOREST REMOVES COWS AFTER CENTER COMPLAINT

**********************************

REGIONAL DIRECTOR BLASTS SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST FOR GRAZING
ABUSE

The abuse of our public lands by livestock grazing reached such
drastic levels during the recent drought that regional director
of the range program David Stewart wrote a scorching letter
saying that the range staff of the Santa Fe forest: "1) cannot
read, 2) are simply defiant of basic Regional Forester
direction, 3) are afraid, 4) just don't care, or, 5) a
combination of all of the above."

After a visit to the forest Stewart found "there has been little
if no spring forage growth and cattle have currently consumed
most of the previous years residual growth." Elsewhere he notes
that "once again, cattle are being allowed to simply pulverize
the resource." Stewart also revealed Endangered Species Act
violations, writing that "large numbers of cattle are grazing a
pasture which is habitat for Rio Grande cutthroat trout, where
virtually no forage exists, potentially undoing many years of
habitat improvement."

Despite Stewart's forthright efforts to correct this case of
blatant abuse, the disproportionate political power of the
ranchers delayed action. In mid July, acting Santa Fe Forest
Supervisor Gilbert Zepeda suspended for one week the removal
orders previously issued in response to Stewart's direction.
However, the removal orders have since gone into effect.

A copy of the letter is online at:
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/Programs/grazing/StewartLetter.html

**********************************

GILA NATIONAL FOREST ALLOTMENT SAVED FROM LIVESTOCK

In response to a threat of legal action by the Center for
Biological Diversity, the Gila National Forest abandoned plans
to reopen the Cold Springs allotment in the Mimbres Valley to
grazing by 25 horses belonging to an Outfitter Guide operation.
The allotment was cancelled in 1996 after serious abuse by a
former permittee. Reopening the Cold Springs allotment would
have violated several resource protections laws.

The Gila Forest had been looking for a place to send the horses
after a long history of permit violations in the Gila
Wilderness. In one case escaped horses caused a vehicle accident
that seriously injured Forest Service personnel. As usual,
interference by a New Mexico politician and ally of the
permittee frightened the Forest Service out of taking the
obvious step of simply cancelling the grazing permit. Instead,
the Gila National Forest moved the horses to the Indian Creek
allotment, which is already permitted to over 50 cattle but was
taken out of use in late 2000 for lack of water.

**********************************

TONTO NATIONAL FOREST REMOVES COWS AFTER CENTER COMPLAINT

The Tonto National Forest has a strong drought policy compared
with other forests in the southwest region. However, the policy
has not been enforced evenly. Despite a continuing lack of
forage growth, the Cave Creek district of the Tonto National
Forest was still running cows at over 50 percent of normal
levels, while other districts like Payson, Mesa and Tonto Basin
had removed virtually all livestock from the Forest. The Red
Creek allotment was being stocked at 84 percent of normal
levels.

The Center complained to the Forest Supervisor about the
constant trespass by cows into critical habitat for native fish
in the lower Verde River and multiple instances of cattle
trashing riparian areas on the Forest, a problem that is
particularly acute during droughts, due to the lack of forage
elsewhere. In response, Tonto forest officials said that cows
had been ordered off the Sears Club/Chalk Mtn, Red Creek and
Blackjack allotments, while a proposed stock tank clean-out that
would involve running a bulldozer into the Mazatzal Wilderness
was suspended.

For more information on the Center's grazing program:
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/programs/grazing/index.html
--------------------------------------------------

Visit the web address below and tell your friends about this
important issue!

http://actionnetwork.org/join-forward.html?domain=BIODIVERSITY&r=41111111mcJU

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for
Center for Biological Diversity - Biodiversity Activist at:

http://actionnetwork.org/BIODIVERSITY/join.html?r=41111111mcJUE

--------------------------------------------------

This message was sent to [email]. To modify your email
communication preferences or update your personal profile, visit
your subscription management page at:

http://actionnetwork.org/BIODIVERSITY/smp.tcl?nkey=nzz78xieb&

To stop ALL email from Center for Biological Diversity -
Biodiversity Activist, reply via email with "remove or
unsubscribe" in the subject line, or use the following link:

http://actionnetwork.org/BIODIVERSITY/remove-domain-direct.tcl?ctx=center&nkey=nzz78xieb&

Go back