From: owner-swcbdmembers@envirolink.org on behalf of Kierán Suckling [ksuckling@sw-center.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 9:34 PM
To: Recipient list suppressed
Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #157
X-Listprocessor-version: 8.2.07 -- ListProc(tm) by CREN
____________________________________________________
\ SOUTHWEST BIODIVERSITY ALERT #157 /
\ 10-20-98 /
\ /
\ SOUTHWEST CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY /
\ http://www.sw-center.org /
\________________________________________/

1. RALLY THIS FRIDAY AGAINST FOREST SERVICE PLAN TO KILL
RARE APACHE GOSHAWK IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA

2. CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION ENDORSES END TO
COMMERCIAL LOGGING ON U.S. NATIONAL FORESTS

3. TUCSON MAY CURB URBAN SPRAWL TO PROTECT PYGMY-OWL

4. UTAH NATIONAL FORESTS TO DEVELOP GOSHAWK CONSERVATION PLAN-
LETTERS NEEDED TO INSURE OLD GROWTH PROTECTION

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

RALLY THIS FRIDAY AGAINST FOREST SERVICE PLAN TO KILL
RARE APACHE GOSHAWK IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA
The Southwest Center, Sky Island Watch, SEAC-SW, and
Maricopa Audubon Society are hosting a rally this Friday,
October 23rd, at 12 noon outside the Coronado National
Forest office in Tucson (300 W. Congress St.) to protest
the agency's plan to log one of the few remaining goshawk
nest stands in southern Arizona.

On three previous occassions going back to 1995, the
Forest Service has decided to log an active goshawk nest
stand in order to expand and pave a primative campground
on Mt. Graham, and to make a few bucks on the old growth
pines and firs. Because logging an active goshawk nest
stand violates their own guidelines, the Forest keeps
claiming an exemption for purposes of "adaptive management."
Appeals and lawsuits have stopped every proposal thus
far. The Forest Service retaliated by sending out an
anti-goshawk press release which resulted in the male
being shot and killed.

A new pair has moved onto the nest, and now the Forest
Service is proposing to log the nest stand for a fourth
time. The entire Pinaleno Range likely has less than 10
Apache goshawk pairs. As few as 30 likely exist in all of
the U.S. Reports indicate they may be even rarer in Mexico
since the onset of industrial logging in recent decades.
____________________________________

CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION ENDORSES END TO
COMMERCIAL LOGGING ON U.S. NATIONAL FORESTS
On 10-13-98, the Christian Environmental Council, a broad
national inter-denominational coalition of Christian leaders,
voted unanimously for the "end of all commercial
logging on U.S. National Forests," and the end of all old
growth logging anywhere in the U.S.

"Our Scriptures clearly teach that forests are a place where
God is present, and cares and provides for his creatures who
inhabit them," said Ann Alexander, Chair of the CEC in a press
release. "Paying timber companies nearly a billion dollars
every year to needlessly decimate these irreplaceable forests,
which God created and loves, is to commit a sin of greed and
waste."
_____________________________

TUCSON MAY CURB URBAN SPRAWL TO PROTECT PYGMY-OWL
In response to pressure from the Southwest Center, the
Sonoran Desert Alliance, Desert Watch, and others, Pima
County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry today officially
recommended that the Board of Supervisors protect Arthur
Pack Park from development threats by the Pima County
Community College and the YMCA. The park contains very
important habitat for the endangered cactus ferruginous
pygmy owl.

The recommendation was contained in a wide ranging report
entitled "Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan." The plan also
recommends amending land use regulations, providing
incentives for habitat conservation near Tucson, and
raising money to buy important wildlife areas. The Board
of Supervisors may vote on the recommendations as early as
next week.

The listing of the pygmy owl as endangered and subsequent
litigation and organzing against mindless sprawl, has
re-awakened the possibilily of growth control in the Tucson
Basin. The new report may lead to tightening land use
regulations, including a possible moratorium on large scale
development, to protect the pygmy owl on private land
pending preparation of a regional endangered species plan.
____________________________

UTAH NATIONAL FORESTS TO DEVELOP GOSHAWK CONSERVATION PLAN-
LETTERS NEEDED TO INSURE OLD GROWTH PROTECTION
Region 4 of the U.S. Forest Service is accepting comments
a plan to amend its Regional Guide and six National Forest
Plans to adopt interim protection measures for the Northern
goshawk. The plan, entitled "Conservation Strategy and
Agreement for the Management of Northern Goshawk Habitat in
Utah," would affect the Wasatch-Cache, Uinta, Ashley, Dixie,
Manti-LaSal, and Fishlake National Forests.

It is likely that R4 will follow the lead of the Southwest
Region, adopting guidelines which focus on nest stand
protection while allowing logging of old-growth in goshawk
foraging areas. The implementation of the SW plan has
resulted in steady goshawk declines since 1991 in AZ and NM.

Please send comments to the Regional Forester informing him
that the SW guidelines have lead to declines on the Kaibab,
Apache-Sitgreave and Coronado National Forests, and all six
of New Mexico's National Forests. Tell him to fully protect
6,000 acres of foraging habitat within every goshawk home
range, and to ban logging of all old growth and mature trees
across the landscape.

Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service
Federal Building, 324 25th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401.


Past biodiversity alerts are archived @
http://www.sw-center.org



_____________________________________________________________________________

Kierán Suckling ksuckling@sw-center.org
Executive Director 520.623.5252 phone
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity 520.623.9797 fax
http://www.sw-center.org pob 710, tucson, az 85702-710