>Date: Fri, 28 Oct 1994 08:41:41 -0700
>From: mip-arch at garnet.berkeley.edu (Museum Informatics Project)
>To: dpaulson at ups.edu
>Subject: Queen Charlotte Goshawk...
>
>Dennis, The following is kinda long, but may be of interest to Tweeters.
>If you think so, feel free to post it. Peter
>- - - - -
>Date: Fri, 28 Oct 1994 04:05:38 +0600
>From: Robin Silver <silver at indirect.com>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <bene at straylight.tamu.edu>
>Subject: pleaase distribute widely (fwd)
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Fri, 28 Oct 1994 01:10:27 -0700
>From: Galvin/Suckling <ggbp at indirect.com>
>To: silver at indirect.com, mkenna at igc.org, mhughes at nyx.cs.du.edu,
> fccsw at IGC.APC.ORG, mpollock at u.washington.edu
>Subject: pleaase distribute widely
>
>TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST PROPOSES 65% REDUCTION IN LOGGING TO PROTECT
>QUEEN CHARLOTTE GOSHAWK---YOUR COMMENTS DESPERATELY NEEDED BY NOVEMBER 10,
>1994 TO INSURE 171 MILLION BOARD FEET REMOVED FROM 1995 TIMBER PROGRAM.
>
>
>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a positive 90-day finding on
>a petition to list the Queen Charlotte goshawk as an endangered species
>from SE Alaska to the Olympic Peninsula on August 26 1994. The finding
>is the first of three hoops a species must jump through in order to be
>listed as endangered. The FWS will now conduct a full status review and
>decide whether or not to propose the goshawk as endangered on May
>9,1994.
>
>The petition was written by the Southwest Center for Biological
>Diversity and the Greater Gila Biodiversity Project and filed by a
>coalition of environmental groups including:the Biodiversity Legal
>Foundation, Greater Ecosystem Alliance, Save the West, Save America's
>Forests, Native Forest Network, Native Forest Council, Peter Galvin,
>Eric Holle, and Don Muller. Several months ago the FWS issued a
>positive 90-day finding on a petition by the Biodiversity Legal
>Foundation to list another SE Alaska species, the Alexander Archipelago
>wolf, as endangered. These two species could dramatically reduce the
>Tongass National Forest's massive timber program. The Tongass cuts more
>timber than all the National Forests of the Pacific Northwest
>combined.
>
>In a desperate bid to head-off the listings, the Tongass is proposing
>to amend its Forest Plan with a goshawk conservation strategy which
>could eliminate 171 million board feet- over half the forest's 1995
>timber program. Your comments in support of this proposal are needed
>NOW! This is an incredible opportunity to reign in the largest timber
>producing forest in the United States and protect one of the world's
>last intact temperate rainforests.
>
>The Tongass has released a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA)
>entitled Interim Habitat Management Guidelines for Maintaining
>Well-Distributed Viable Wildlife Populations within the Tongass
>National Forest in an openly acknowledged attempt to convince the Fish
>and Wildlife that the wolf and goshawk do not need to be listed as
>endangered. The Forest's two proposed action alternatives would set
>aside 75 MMBF for goshawk territories found before June 30, 1994 which
>would slash at least another 96 MMBF from the 1995 timber program.
>Alternative 2 (the proposed alternative) would dramatically decrease
>protection for goshawks found after June 30, cutting only 6-12 MMBF
>from the 1995 program.
>
>So how can the Forest biologically justify reducing protection
>levels for future and recently discovered goshawks? It can't. It
>doesn't even try. The DEA simply explains that the most recently
>discovered goshawks are in huge timber sales and giving them equal
>protection would remove too much volume. Because goshawk surveys have
>geared up tremendously in the past two years, future nests are also
>very likely to be found in timber sales, causing even greater declines
>in timber harvesting.
>
>Alternative 3, would establish a network of large (40,000 acre)
>and medium (10,000 acre) Habitat Conservation Areas in which logging of
>old-growth would not be permitted (except commercial "salvage" sales,
>of course). In addition, no logging will be permitted within known home
>ranges of radio-tagged Queen Charlotte goshawks. Known home ranges are
>as large as 360,000 acres in the heavily fragmented forests of south
>Fredrick Sound and as small as 4,500 acres in the unfragmented forests
>in the northern Tongass. Non-radio-tagged goshawks south of fredrick
>Sound would be protected by a 143,000 acre no logging zone,
>Non-radio-tagged birds north of Fredrick Sound would be protected by a
>8,000 acre no logging zone.
>
>Alternative 2 would only prohibit logging in 20-30 acres
>surrounding nest trees and in the 600 acre post fledgling areas. Up to
>80% of the surrounding 6,000 acre foraging area would be open to
>logging. Salvage sales would be permitted within the post fledging and
>foraging areas. This woefully inadequate plan was devised for
>Southwestern forests several years ago but was severely criticized and
>has since been dropped there. It is completely untenable for SE Alaska
>and the USFWS has told the Forest this on numerous occasions. This is
>a historic opportunity- no National Forest has ever developed an
>alternative which would cut its own timber program by 171 MMBF! Submit
>your comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment, Interim Habitat
>Management Guidelines for Maintaining Well-Distributed Viable Wildlife
>Populations within the Tongass National Forest by november 10, 1994.
>Tell Tongass:
>
> 1.There is no biological reason for giving new found goshawk
> nests less protection than nests found before june, 30 1994.
>
> 2.Salvage sales should not be permitted within HCAs or goshawk
> management territories.
>
> 3.Road construction should not be permitted in goshawk
> territories or HCAs.
>
>Write to: Interim Guidelines EA
> Forest Plan revision team
> 8465 Old Dairy Road
> Juneau, AK 99801
>
>DO IT TODAY!
>Greater Gila Biodiversity Project
>
>
>


Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound email: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416