Tweeters,



I agree with Rob on several points. First, humans will never recreate
old growth forest that has been lost. Only the absence of human activity
for a couple of centuries will do that. The old growth forests that the
future generations will enjoy may not be identical to the old-growth
forests of yesteryear, but are likely to support a similar biotic
community amenable to Spotted Owl. The threats to these future forests
are real but I have to believe (perhaps blindly) that the ESA will
remain a pillar of conservation legislation for generations to come
(many have tried to dismantle it and failed) and institutions such as
widespread clear-cut logging will not return to the region. I'm not
aware that fire currently represents a major threat to Spotted Owls
rangewide but with changing snow pack conditions and warming
temperatures perhaps this is a real threat.



However, to make the claim that Barred Owl should claim its "correct"
place in the forests of the Pacific Northwest is a false one. This would
seem to insinuate that evolution or perhaps human-selection of species
within ecological system is deterministic and correct. Being a
specialist's does not predispose a species to extinction. It does
exacerbate the risk of extinction in the face of environmental
stochastic perturbations . Prior to European colonization stochastic
perturbations (e.g., rapid climate change, forest loss and
fragmentation) in the old-growth forest of the Pacific NW were rare,
after all that is how it came to be "old-growth" forest. Ironically the
use of California Condors as an example is a poor one to illustrate an
argument pertaining to specialists. The condor is not a specialist, as I
am pretty sure eating anything that is dead and rotting does not
classify one as a specialist. Nor is the condor doomed to extinction. In
fact the recovery of the California Condor is a remarkable story of
just how dedication to a seemingly "uncorrect" species can lead to
remarkable successes with over 192 birds in the wild today, representing
several independent populations, spanning three states and two
countries; when only two decades ago not a single individual existed in
the wild. Granted recovery of the California Condor has been one of the
most expensive recovery projects for any species to date but it
represents the capacity of a society with a world-centric perspective to
step-in and undo its past transgressions. It is difficult for me to put
a price on the California Condor, especially after recently enjoying
the sight of this majestic bird soaring on the Big Sure coast, or any
species for that matter. To disregard the extinction of species at the
hand-of-man and stand idly by and let them go extinct without action is
to me the definition of an uncivilized society. To believe otherwise is
to contradict the very ethics that the fathers of modern conservation
and preservation laid out and spurred our society to invent marvelous
ideas such as national parks, the migratory bird act, and the endangered
species act.



That being said, it is true that the Spotted Owl is doomed to extinction
as is the Barred Owl. Extinction is a natural process. I believe that
by in large Rob and I would agree on many issues and would enjoy a day
spent birding together. However, we represent two diverging perspectives
on the definition of the human-nature relationship. Some of us would be
appalled at the extinction of Spotted Owls and some would see it as a
natural or inevitable outcome of human activities. Neither camp would
likely rejoice at its passing. However, it is important for us to
recognize the perspectives of others especially when considering
value-laden truths inherent in endangered species management and that
there is in fact no one "truth". Only then can we have a civilized
discussion on whether or not we let a species go extinct or kill another
to perpetuate another.



Cheers,




Tyler L Hicks
Master's Student
Washington State University - Vancouver

E-mail: tyler_hicks at wsu.edu
Website: www.thingswithwings.org

"Back off man, I'm a scientist!" - Bill Murray, Ghostbusters
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