On Tue, 10 Aug 1999, Jon. Anderson and Marty Chaney wrote:

> I wonder when we're going to realize that Starlings, House Sparrows,
> Eastern Gray Squirrels, Nutria, lawn grasses, yellow iris, and
> Eurasian-Americans are all now a part of the Pacific Northwest native
> environment.

Good points, Jon.. (Jon's name has one period and then you put in another
to end the sentence, right?).

I have definitely tempered my harsh attitudes toward these exotics. I think
that great harm has been and is being done by exotics but it's not realistic
to expect to change it and persecuting a few individual animals is futile
and barbaric. However, in some instances, persecution to reach a reasonably
attainable goal for maintaining or restoring a native species makes sense to
me. Usually, this takes place in a restricted geographic area but it can make
a difference. We may eventually lose these battles but it's worth exploring
techniques that might work. Perhaps, in some of these relatively small areas,
we can save a species faced with premature extinction due to the eco-upheaval
we humans carry with us wherever we go.

There, I've stated an opinion. That usually generates a lot more posts than
some bird sighting.

Kelly McAllister