Habitat
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 1993:
Eighty percent of the remaining old growth
forest in the Pacific Northwest would be protected from
logging under a plan to protect endangered spotted owls
and salmon runs unveiled July 2 by President Bill Clinton
in response to rulings by Federal District Judge William
Dwyer of Seattle that have restricted logging for nearly
three years. During the halt, the logging workforce has
declined from 145,000 to 125,000. The protected zones
would run along watersheds. Loggers would be allowed
to cut about 1.2 billion board feet of old growth per year
in less sensitive areas, down from five billion board feet
in the mid-1980s. While most of the plan does not
require Congressional approval, it must be ratified by
Dwyer before any old growth logging on the land covered
by his decisions can resume. Dwyer’s decision, based on
the provisions of the Endangered Species Act, is due in
mid-July. The Clinton plan, drafted with heavy input
from Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, drew immediate
flak from House Speaker Thomas Foley, who indicated
he might cross party lines in an attempt to gut the ESA
when it comes up later this year for renewal.
Pollution has damaged more than 10% of the
world’s wetlands, 1,300 delegates were told June 9 as the
77-nation Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance as Waterfowl Habitat got underway in
Kushiro, Japan. Another 30 nations joined in the con-
vention as observers.
The Exxon Oil Spill Settlement Trustee
Council has authorized the purchase of 42,000 acres on
Afognak Island, Alaska, to protect bald eagles and
endangered marbled murrelets. The $38.7 million deal is
the biggest allocation yet from the $900 million Exxon
Valdez liability settlement.
Ten years after the government of India
began trying to merge three wildlife sanctuaries in the
foothills of the Himalayas into a single 512-square-mile
national park, the plan is still stalled by opposition from
the Gujars, a tribe of cattle herders who have claimed the
right to graze their animals in the protected forests since
they were brought to the area as part of a princess’ dowry
more than 200 years ago. Indian wildlife officials claim
Gujar overgrazing is causing the 400 elephants who
inhabit the proposed park to destroy almost a tree apiece
per day to feed themselves.
