Guest guest Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 --Today for you 32 new articles about earth's trees! (362nd edition) --You can now RSS tree news in a regional format at: http://forestpolicyresearch.org --To Subscribe / to the world-wide email format send a blank email to: earthtreenews- OR earthtreenews- In this issue: PNW-USA Index: --Alaska: 1) Describing the landscape as well as mystery of burled trees --Washington: 2) Eyes in the Woods volunteers for corporate destroyers, 3) Logger landslide ensures Pe Ell becomes a ghost town at no expense to the loggers, --Oregon: 3) Loggers not only destroy forests, they poison their neighbors! 5) Tree climbing gives you integrity and moral character, 6) NW Natural pipeline may destroy many forests, 7) Protecting wilderness these days may mean more destruction, 8) BLM plans to poison the land with herbicide, 9) Wyden's 'forest protection' bill will eliminate rules that limit logging activities, 10) cont. 11) Categorical exclusions and eliminating administrative appeals is not what the courts allow! 12) Compromises between loggers and enviros mean enviros lose, but not as much, --California: 13) Exaggerating fire fears eliminates logging laws in Tahoe, 14) Fire-fear-based thinnings destroy mature forests in Tahoe, 15) Logging in stream is the solution to fire protection? 16) Tahoe NF withdraws bad logging plan, 17) History of Moody ridge forest, 18) Lack of predators near tourist areas lead to deer-caused deforestation, 19) Berkeley Treesit, 20) cont. --South Dakota: 21) West rim project, Black Hills NF, 22) South Project, Black Hills NF, --Indiana: 23) I-69 treesit evicted, 24) Roadblock Earth First! 25) cont. 26) cont. --Illinois: 27) Emerald Ash borer debuts in Chicago, first tree falls! --Alabama: 28) Power company gives up legal battle against tree defenders --Massachusetts: 29) Life-long tree defender supports clearcut-Kleenex campaign, --Tennessee: 30) Friends of Warner Parks, 31) Rocky Forks purchase on front burner, --Florida: 32) Red-cockaded woodpeckers Alaska: 1) When I was in Fairbanks for my obstetrics and gynecology rotation, I was fortunate to have a few days off so I could get out and experience the Alaskan landscape. Alaska is so big that it is impossible to make generalizations about the land. The people, the flora, the geology, the weather - it's difficult to write about the place without over-generalization. One thing about interior Alaska that is hard not to notice is the trees. Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for several years, I've rediscovered a connection with the colossal organisms that define the landscapes here. Evergreens are, after all, the reason Seattle can claim the title of Emerald City. It isn't surprising that one of the first things I noticed after landing in Fairbanks was the diminutive stature of the area's trees. Black and white spruce, paper birch, alder and poplar are the main species there. And none of them grow much taller than 40 feet! Old growth forest consists of tree trunks less than a foot in diameter. The short growing season conspires with the extreme winter cold to limit tree height and diameter. There is something else peculiar about interior Alaska's trees. There is a much higher frequency of burl formation there than any place I've been. Woodworkers know burls to be valuable sources of figured wood. Laminates, sculptures, and bowls derived from burls are things of beauty. Hikers and orcharders know burls to be those funny bulbous growths along the trunk, roots and limbs of trees. One of the more affected trees I encountered on a hike is shown at the left. The strangest thing about burls is that no one really knows what causes them. Theories range from insect infestation, mechanical damage, genetics, fungus and soil contents. What I know is that when a medical student who has been a biomedical researcher and is an amateur woodworker encounters these misshapen trees in the forest, the first thing he thinks of is a riddle. That's right, the trees speak to me! This one said: You doctors, you searchers, you cutters of flesh; You sawyers, you sculptors, you dry aesthetes: Gather together to crack my mystery. http://hope-for-pandora.blogspot.com/2008/06/cancer-riddle.html Washington: 2) Members of the Eyes in the Woods organization will be clearing litter from private timberlands in western Washington this month, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is encouraging hunters to lend a hand. Eyes in the Woods, a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to fish and wildlife stewardship, is sponsoring clean-up events in the following areas: - Olympic Peninsula: Participants will meet at 9 a.m. June 21 at the WDFW Region 6 Office, 48 Devonshire Rd. in Montesano. The clean-up effort, focusing on timberlands managed by Weyerhaeuser and the Campbell Group, will continue until 6 p.m. - Mount St. Helens: Participants will meet at 9 a.m. at Drews Grocery on State Route 504 in Toutle. The clean-up effort will focus on Weyerhaeuser's Mount St. Helens Tree Farm and will continue until 6 p.m. For contact information about these events, see the Eyes in the Woods website at http://eitw.us/boscal/calendar.php or call (360) 480-6689. Dave Ware, WDFW game manager, said Eyes in the Woods volunteers play an important role in wildlife management by monitoring hunter activity, staffing check stations, posting signs and assisting the department in a variety of other ways. The upcoming clean-up effort is another example of those efforts, Ware said. " Access to private lands is a major issue for hunters and this department, " Ware said. " This is a way for hunters to show their appreciation for landowners who open their lands for outdoor recreation. " http://outdoornewsdaily.com/index.php/archives/4238 3) PE ELL -- Just sauntering down the main street of Lewis County's westernmost town doesn't say much about the December 2007 flood. It's not that water didn't make it into some of the businesses along state Route 6, but the most expensive damage happened on a logging road ridge hidden by forest near the town's water source. A powerful surge of hilltop rain brought the headwaters of the Chehalis River about 50 feet higher to destroy the historic covered Tin Bridge and the adjoining connector pipe from Pe Ell's water intake dam at Lester Creek. The new costs are causing some to question whether a government as small as Pe Ell's can handle the post-flood financial burden. The revenue taken in by water and sewer bills is only authorized to cover the costs of that system, and the burden of those costs falls exclusively on users, most of whom live within the city limits. " It's going to be a lot of debt that people are going to have to deal with, and I don't know if it will get to the point where we have to disincorporate, but this could end up being a ghost town, " said Pe Ell City Clerk and Treasurer Jeanette Schwartz, adding that the city currently charges normal households $52 per month for sewer services and $42 per month for water, for an annual total of $178,000 for sewer and $192,000 for water. Four former timber workers having coffee and pie at Evey's said it's pretty simple -- the economy, with the timber industry, has declined. " Weyerhaeuser does operate here, but not like they used to, " said one of the men, most of whom declined to divulge their last names. Some people in town don't feel the city needs a government. Without an established water system, Nichols said people would be forced to dig their own wells to the water table, and depending on the location, that can be a problem. " If you go try to put in artesian wells and you go too deep, you get salt water, " Nichols said. http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull & id=1214032375 & archive= & sta\ rt_from= & ucat=1 & Oregon: 4) Pitchfork Rebellion co-founder Day Owen says: " Three years ago my wife and I co-founded The Pitchfork Rebellion in response to the poisoning of many of our forest-dwelling neighbors by Timber Industry helicopters spraying herbicides on the clear-cut mountain tops that ring our homes. Then, this Fall, my wife and I were poisoned by aerial spraying near our home and had to get medical attention. Now, this Spring, our teenage daughter needed medical attention after an early morning aerial spray across from our home. This rally in Portland is nothing less than a cry for help! Help us stop the aerial assault on rural families, and help us stop the WOPR and other unwise forest practices. " On Sunday, July 27, 12 noon at Portland's Pioneer Square (701 SW 6th Ave.) take a stand with the Pitchfork Rebellion - a group of rural Oregonians sick (literally!) of having their water sources, organic crops, livestock, and children poisoned by timber industry helicopter herbicide - for a rally and free concert in celebration of the forests that give us life. http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2006/03/16/coverstory.html 5) It sounds easy — climbing a 160-foot ponderosa pine and hanging out in a hammock way up there — that is, until you're standing at the bottom of one of these gigantic, centuries-old trees and Viola Brumbaugh is securing you in your hip saddle and hooking you up to myriad ropes, pulleys and other little gadgets on which your life will soon depend. Then, in creeps that doubt: can I do this? Well, I could shout out, " Hey, 'scuse me, but I'm weak of body and mind, a little scared and would like to be rescued and taken down to the ground like a big wimp, OK? " But that's not going to happen, is it? I'm going to keep going, Then the wind starts blowing in a blustery way and, dangling from my long rope, I get to navigate my way up between big branches, many of them dead and not inviting me to rest on them. Brumbaugh keeps a keen eye on my body language, facial expression and tone of voice. " You OK? How are you? " There's a right answer and wrong answer to that question halfway up this big tree, isn't there? But, of course, Brumbaugh knows all the signs of naked terror — and knows I'll overcome it. That's what the climb is for, right? It's like doing a fire walk, on coals. There's such an element of impossibility about it but (like life itself), the clear hope that, if you find your guts and strength and if you can envision it, by cracky, you'll do it! " Amazing, isn't it? This little metal ratchet gadget is all that's standing between me and about 5.5 long seconds of screaming, followed by a big thud. " They agree, it is amazing. So, having never done it before — and a bit white-knuckled on the ID lever, I rappel down a long, steep, vertical surface, bouncing off it with my feet, just like on Discovery Channel — and it's easy. Soon my feet are on the ground and I'm unlatching the carabiners and letting the saddle fall to the ground. Whooppee! Alive! Not just alive but " really alive. " As I tell friends about it later, I realize, geez, doing something that challenging and pushing beyond the idea, the illusion, the dread of catastrophe, I really had to push down a ton of fear and switch instead to a different channel, the one broadcasting messages like, " Hey, this is nothing, you can do this. Our ancestors only a few centuries back dealt with bigger dangers on a daily basis and it's what made them real, strong and confident. That's how it works. We're supposed to engage danger and risk, not devote our lives to skirting it. The skirting is what makes us a nation of sheep! " http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/LIFE/806190301 6) For two decades, NW Natural has talked about building a pipeline over the Cascades to connect with interstate lines that carry Canadian gas through central Oregon to California. The company isn't about to run out of gas without it, Kantor said. But a new pipe would provide an alternative supply route to the Willamette Valley if shipments up the Columbia River Gorge were ever shut off. An alternative route, the company said, would also give it leverage in contract negotiations with its interstate gas carrier, Williams Northwest Pipeline Co. For years, however, the proposal languished because neither the company nor regulators could justify the huge cost. Existing supplies and pipeline capacity were adequate, they concluded. Last year, however, NW Natural changed its tune, proposing a 212-mile pipe. About half would snake from north of Madras in central Oregon, through the Mount Hood National Forest to its gas hub near Molalla. From there, the so-called Palomar pipeline would skirt south and west of Portland in an additional 104-mile arc, terminating about 25 miles east of Astoria. Just around a bend in the river: the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG terminal. NW Natural would be a 50 percent owner in the $650 million pipeline proposal with TransCanada Corp., but its share would constitute the largest investment in the company's 150-year history. And potentially one of the most profitable. The pipeline business is viewed as one of the lowest-risk enterprises in the energy industry, Kantor said, which means lenders provide the necessary capital at lower cost. Meanwhile, pipeline rates are set by federal regulators, who allow a significantly higher return than state regulators grant on regular utility operations. " The pipeline business is a really good business, " Kantor said. It's also highly controversial. Few people want a high-pressure gas line on their property, and NW Natural's most recent struggle with pipeline politics offers a glimpse of the difficulties it's likely to face. The company's South Mist pipeline, a 62-mile run from Mist to Molalla, put NW Natural in an acrimonious fight with farmers and landowners that landed in the Oregon Supreme Court in 2003. " They have the money. They have the resources. They do whatever they want, " said Asad Shirazi, a landowner who went to court over what he claimed was a lowball offer for an easement across 2,000 feet of his property. Shirazi refused to settle, but saw the pipeline bored under his property anyway after NW Natural sued for condemnation under eminent domain laws. http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1213943105\ 69470.xml & coll=7 7) I know the 'Badlands' east of Bend well. Our Senator, Ron Wyden, is currently working to designate this area as " Wilderness " and our town is heavily festooned with bright yellow lawn signs that loudly proclaim - " Protect Badlands Wilderness " . Wild Wilderness chose not to take any position until we could read the language of the bill. Now that it's been introduced and having read it, it's my opinion that this bill is much improved compared to the Badlands legislation introduced two years ago. That said, I am not yet displaying a yellow sign in my front yard. A decade ago, I wouldn't have hesitated to support just about any new Wilderness proposal. Today one can't ignore the fact that just because an area is designated as Wilderness doesn't ensure that the wildness of the place will be preserved. If one wants to get a clearer sense of how an area will likely be managed once designated, it's important to read the bill with care and to pay close attention to the associated buzz. Appended are two items of buzz. The first is a quote from Senator Wyden. The second is a online reader's comment to an article that appeared in our alternative media. I don't know the author, but knowing what I do about the Forest Service, the BLM, our local politicians, visitor's bureau and land managers, I appreciate the points he makes. From Oregon Public Broadcasting, May 28, 2008: Ron Wyden: " Seems to me, if we can get national recognition of the Badlands, that'll be a big shot in the arm for recreation. And quality of life is a big driver of economic success in central Oregon, and that's why I'm going to work hard to promote it. " From " The Source Weekly " , June 14, 2008 Officially designating the Badlands a " Wilderness " is like hanging a giant neon sign over it saying, " Hey! Yoohoo! Look at me! Come drive out to visit me along with all the other people who need an official designation of " Wilderness " before they consider me worth their time. If it is so wonderful and solitary, why not protect it in a way that attracts less attention? Do we really need fancy bathrooms and all the other junk that justify charging a trail fee to park there? This will be another flashy feather in the cap of the whore that is Bend. But I'm sure the tourists will love it. - Luther Von Ruckerson -- Scott Silver, Wild Wilderness http://www.wildwilderness.org 8) Dear Interested Party: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating a Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides on BLM Lands in Oregon Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Noxious weeds and invasive plants infest millions of acres in Oregon. To address this issue, the EIS will analyze the effects of herbicide use on Oregon BLM lands as one of the many tools to control noxious and invasive species and achieve landscape health objectives. The EIS will only address the effects of updating the list of available herbicides for use in Oregon. Currently, Oregon BLM uses only four of the 18 herbicides approved for use on BLM lands nationally. The EIS will not evaluate the use of herbicides for commercial timber enhancement or livestock forage production. The BLM will be holding public meetings across the state in July 2008. The primary purpose of these meetings is to share information and solicit ideas for issues and alternatives to consider in the EIS. If you wish to stay on this mailing list, please visit the project website at http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/vegtreatmentseis to fill out the interest form online. More information on the Vegetation Treatments EIS is available on our website. Or, if you have questions, please contact the EIS Team via email at ORVegTreatments 9) Here it is folks, the moment I have been screaming about. Landscape level 25000 acre categorically excluded partial cuts, biomass contracts 20 years long and all it takes is one sold out green group to approve it. Visit your forest soon, or it may be to late. Aaarrrgh!!!! Bill Barton, Native Forest Council, Field Operations bill http://wyden.senate.gov/forestproposal/WydenDraftForestRestorationProposal.pdf 10) The Wyden bill is intended to turn the focus of the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management from timber production to forest restoration, said Josh Kardon, Wyden's chief of staff. But even with a focus on restoration, preliminary estimates are that the bill would significantly boost timber production from federal lands, Johnson said. The bill divides forests into those that are dry, primarily on the east side of the Cascades, and those that are moist, primarily on the west side of the Cascades. In moist forests, stands and individual trees older than 120 years would be off-limits to logging. In dry forests, trees older than 150 years could not be cut, but younger trees in those stands would be logged to reduce fire danger, improve forest health, and promote fish and wildlife habitat. " The forests are at incredible risk of uncharacteristic disturbances by fire and by insects, " he said. " Furthermore, they are not fulfilling their ecological functions in terms of habitat needs. This is only going to get worse with global climate change. " Conservation groups were generally supportive of the legislation. Steve Pedery of Oregon Wild said it was a good start, but they hoped to see some details changed to increase protections for old growth. Tom Partin, president of the American Forest Resource Council, said they were unhappy at the limits on logging old trees, particularly the possibility it could complicate BLM's plans to greatly increase logging in old growth forests in Western Oregon. http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-25/12139247452\ 99010.xml & story list=orlocal & thispage=2 11) The Wyden bill is similar to the DeFazio bill with some elements of the Bingaman bill. We will provide a more in-depth analysis soon. As we have seen in the past with the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (2003), the elimination of administrative appeals and categorical exclusion from NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) have been rejected by federal courts time and time again. There is no reason to believe that the Wyden bill will have any success in that regard. If Congress finds NEPA to be unworkable, then they should revise or rescind it. Otherwise, they should abide by it. This appears to be a fatal flaw in Wyden's bill at this time. Drs. Franklin and Johnson gave landmark testimony before Wyden's Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests on this issue last December [here]. It remains to be seen whether Wyden's new bill actually addresses the issues raised in their testimony. The bill as currently worded prohibits cutting of trees currently 120 years old and older in moist forests and 150 years old or older in dry forests. The emphasis on individual old trees is a sea change away from mis-characterized " old-growth stands " which contain trees of many ages, so the bill may represent a great leap forward in that respect. http://westinstenv.org/sosf/2008/06/20/a-new-wyden-forest-bill/ 12) The recent compromise agreement between logging interests and " green " groups in Grant County has drawn praise from a wide variety of folks, including The Register-Guard in a June 3 editorial. Unfortunately, the conversation once again has been limited to how and where taxpayer-subsidized logging should be done. What gets lost is the harsh reality that this agreement once again inflicts more cutting on our already overcut national forests. This deal may prolong the life of a couple of mills, but it is yet another step toward oblivion for our life-giving forests. Consider the collapse of Atlantic cod and Pacific salmon fisheries. Quotas for these fisheries were based on what managers believed to be the maximum sustainable harvest. Fisheries " experts " and fishermen collaborated to set harvest levels that would allow fishing to continue. Predictably, those strategies failed. The compromises that they allowed — combined with financial desires, environmental factors and heavy fishing — destroyed the natural balance. Our forests — and the soil, air and water they provide — are not immune to this fate. Ever since we began strip-mining Oregon's public forests, their condition has declined. Despite many assurances from the industry and federal agencies, the situation has not stabilized, let alone improved. In a misguided effort to keep folks working and maintain the status quo, we are seeing the life of our forest compromised away a tree at a time. The salvage logging in Grant County will probably not be a major contributor to the death of the planet. Few individual actions are — but the cumulative effects of generations of mismanagement will eventually catch up with the forest, just as it has with the fish. When " environmental " groups position themselves as collaborators with the forces that have liquidated more than 90 percent of our native forests, we all lose. To act as collaborator when dealing with a market-driven management policy directly contradicts their stated purpose. Market-driven logging is deadly to the forest. The forest dies, and only an industrial fiber farm may be allowed to grow back. The Sierra Club, Oregon Wild and the other groups that promote taxpayer-subsidized logging are killing the forest just as surely as the logging companies they are supporting. Many fishermen have paid the price. They are finding new careers and moving on. It is time to do the same in the logging industry. Ending the export of our country's trees as logs, chips and pulp while keeping the mill-processing jobs here at home would also help. Industrial forestry will still end on public lands. This will happen either by choice or by necessity. We are paying down the future to all the timber barons to liquidate our forests and commons, and it will stop at some point. http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=1148\ 89 & sid=5 & fid=1 California: 13) On June 2, Gibbons and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger followed one central recommendation of the panel, declaring a state of emergency within Tahoe's five counties to speed the release of the millions of dollars needed for the work. " We will not rest until this natural crown jewel is as safe as it is beautiful, " Schwarzenegger said during a news conference not far from where the fire started. From Rogich's perspective, the primary lesson from the Angora Fire is the need for a balance in priorities. For far too many years, Rogich argues, the emphasis at Tahoe has focused solely on environmental protection. " Things are not going to stay the way they were, " Rogich said. " Public safety, loss of life and property, is in essence equal to the environment. You have to find a reasonable meeting point. " A " little arm twisting " is in order to make needed changes, primarily at Tahoe's forefront land-use regulator, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Rogich said John Singlaub, TRPA's executive director, knows well the impassioned sentiment of many in the fire's wake. He was shouted down during a public meeting during the fire. Insufficient progress in dealing with fire danger was cited by critics on the agency's governing board during his last performance review. " I don't believe any of it was justified, " Singlaub said of the criticism leveled at his agency. TRPA made wildfire prevention its top priority in 2004 and that same year eased restrictions on use of motorized vehicles in stream areas for forest-thinning projects. Both actions demonstrated the agency's commitment to addressing fire danger years before the Angora Fire, Singlaub said. Another important change comes late this month when officials with California's Water Quality Control Board are set to streamline the permitting process for timber management activities. Laurel Ames, a South Lake Tahoe resident and environmental activist, acknowledged concern that a rush to change in the wake of the Angora Fire could come at a cost to an already troubled environment. She's particularly concerned that accelerated logging on Tahoe's steep slopes and stream areas could dump dirt into the lake, worsening loss of its famed clarity. http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080622/NEWS/806220347/1321 14) Have you noticed Incline Village to be a little less green? You definitely would notice this if you frequently visit our local recreation center. Over the past week, hundreds of trees have been leveled to the ground by an army of government workers armed with chainsaws and other expensive equipment. There is a thick pine smell emitting from the dying trees, and many animals have fled from their once safe homes. Why the destruction? This whole procedure is intended as a fire prevention technique ( " fuels reduction " ), and as a homeowner, you probably are grateful for the service. Yet, I find myself questioning the intelligence. Having spent much time in the overgrown forest, I have become accustomed to a dimly lit atmosphere. The tall trees grant shade to everything below, and the temperature is much lower. The shade allows delicate ground cover to flourish. This ground cover is very important because it keeps in the moisture, naturally inhibiting forest fires. Now the situation is much different. Even large strong trees have been chopped from their bases (I counted rings on stumps to 60), and the ground cover has been removed and set to the side. Now the sun light beams through and burns the remaining delicate plants and ground cover. There will no longer be wild raspberries throughout the forest. They will burn this summer, and perhaps for the next 10 summers as well. The trees and plants removed no longer provide moisture from their roots to keep the ground cool — it is now becoming dry and parched. The saddest part: Even at 21, I will not live long enough to see this lush forest grow back. I have spent many hours exploring, relaxing, pondering and enjoying in the natural ecosystem next to my home. Now I feel like crying whenever I see the massive piles of dying green trees on the ground. http://www.tahoebonanza.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080618/NEWS/259452679/1\ 021 & parentprofi le= & template=printart 15) " It's been recognized for years that stream zones are overloaded with fuels, " Brown said. " We need to get in there to create a fire safe and healthy forest in that project area. " The district is employing its handcrews to thin brush and trees in the area, a job fire used to do before humans inhabited the basin, Brown said. But, with humans protecting against fire, the stream zone became overgrown and presents a serious fire threat. " Reducing the fire threat to our community is the No. 1 priority, " said Norb Szczurek, who heads up the project as NLTFPD fuels division chief. " By reducing the fire threat we reduce the amount of vegetation in the area, and that allows the leftover vegetation to have less competition for nutrients in the soil. " The hand crews are being assisted by machine equipment which is tailored for stream zones, using a specialized arm to remove trees before limbing and chipping them. The machine is able to stay far away from the stream, minimizing impact on the sensitive area and keeping the stream clean of dirt and vegetation. Work is expected to be completed Wednesday, Szczurek said, a little behind schedule because of a complication with the removal and chipping of willow trees. Szczurek said willows are wetter than average trees and take the machine longer to chip because of excess moisture. The willows are being left to dry to make chipping them in the coming weeks an easier task. Leftover vegetation piles in the stream zone should be cleaned up within weeks, Szczurek said. Brown said that due to concern for the project he's led multiple tours of the area to educate residents on the health of the forest. The district is planning to organize group tours of the area in the coming weeks, Brown said, and an announcement of the tour times and dates could be made as early as next week. http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20080620/NEWS/152375643/1061 & ParentProfile=1\ 050 16) Nevada City - On June 19, the Sierraville District of the Tahoe National Forest has reversed its decision to implement the Montez logging and road building project in the Castle Peak Proposed Wilderness that would have degraded wilderness values and negatively impacted Perazzo Creek, an eligible wild and scenic river. On May 7, 2008 the Forest Issues Group, Sierra Forest Legacy and the California Wilderness Coalition appealed the Montez Project. Sierra Foothills Audubon Society, Friends of the River, and Sierra Club had previously joined these groups in asking the Forest Service to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the project that offered an alternative to restore this area using methods that better conformed to wilderness principles. This alternative was rejected, but the Forest Service has now withdrawn its logging plan. The 16,000 acre Castle Peak Roadless Area is proposed for wilderness protection in legislation introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Hilda Solìs. These wild lands in the Tahoe National Forest provides Californians with spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities and is home to several important watersheds that supply drinking water to Nevada County and wildlife habitat for endangered species. This area provides habitat for the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout, willow flycatcher, northern goshawk and the California spotted owl. It is also home to old growth red-fir forests. A major effort is currently underway to improve the trout fishery in downstream waters of Perazzo Creek, while protecting willow flycatcher habitat in Perazzo meadows. " We are extremely pleased that this project has been withdrawn and congratulate the Forest Service for their reversal decision " , said Don Rivenes, spokesperson for the Forest Issues Group. " Hopefully, the U.S. Forest Service will redirect its limited funds to pursue projects that protect wildland/urban interface communities and restore key forest ecosystems. " Brent Schoradt, Deputy Policy Director for the California Wilderness Coalitions says " The Castle Peak Proposed Wilderness deserves to be protected from road building, logging and other threats. " http://yubanet.com/regional/Logging-Project-in-Proposed-Castle-Peak-Wilderness-W\ ithdrawn.php 17) On the gentle uplands of Moody Ridge, some four thousand feet above sea level, there once grew an open forest of mighty pines and cedars. Then, around 1870, came Progress: those gigantic trees, centuries old, were laid low. A dense forest of young pines rose in its place, almost impenetrable, as is remarked in the field notes of Berkeley zoologist Joseph Grinnell (see http://mvz.berkeley.edu/Grinnell.html), who visited in 1912, collecting specimens for days on end. He stayed at the Pine Mound Inn, one of several hotels in and near Dutch Flat at that time. Fires swept across Moody Ridge and thinned that dense forest again and again. More logging took place, notably, around 1960 and 1977-78. This last cut was the unkindest, in that every conifer over fifteen inches in diameter was taken, and then, adding insult to injury, the bulldozer-churned forest land was illegally subdivided. Thirty years later, the signs of logging have softened, but the skid trails of the 1977-78 timber harvest are still plainly visible, as the bulldozers spun their treads deeply into the rich forest soil, casting it to the side, and exposing the clayey subsoil. Only recently did I finally realize, after a few decades of walking about, that signs of the earliest phase of logging, dating to around 1875, remain visible, in the form of narrow-gauge railroad grades, very carefully located to allow for the easiest yarding of the huge first-growth sawlogs, which would be rolled directly onto the flatcars, and hauled away to the Canyon Creek Mill. I have cleared debris and small trees from one of these old logging-railroad grades, which winds in and out of a small valley on a line so level one would imagine it an old mining ditch, and it makes for a nice walk. I call it the Railroad Trail. Yesterday, walking along the Railroad Trail amid Incense Cedar and White Fir, Ponderosa Pine and Sugar Pine, I saw what seemed to be the white ghosts of small pine cones thrusting up through the pine needles which deeply cover the forest floor. They were quite intricate, and clearly, without any chlorophyll, being one of those saprophytic plants often placed in the Heath Family, like Pine Drops and Snow Plant. http://northforktrails.blogspot.com/2008/06/fringed-pinesap.html 18) YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — More fear of fangs is what's needed to revive hoof-worn Western lands. That's the view of pioneering scientists certain that a scarcity of cougars and other large predators is devastating large stands of oak, aspen, cottonwood and even spectacular wildflower blooms in Western wild lands because deer and other foraging animals no longer fear predators and are overgrazing as a result. " It's one of the most exciting new ideas in ecology within the last 25 years, " said David Graber, chief scientist of the Pacific West Region for the National Park Service. " The whole notion of how important large predators are on the landscape is extraordinary. " Two Oregon State University scientists say their studies on the " ecology of fear " at national parks, beginning at Yellowstone and most recently concluding at Yosemite, show this phenomenon is under way on open lands across the West. It arose following a blitzkrieg by wildlife managers against large predators such as wolves and cougars in the early 20th century, as well as rising tourism at parks that drove away people-shy predators. " We've lost many large predators, " said Robert Beschta, one of the Oregon scientists. " And most of us didn't realize the effects that may have caused. Here's how the hypothesis works: Lacking natural predators, expanding populations of herbivores freely wander into areas where their ancestors never lingered long because grasses, bushes or trees could conceal a prowling cougar, wolf or grizzly bear. Lacking fear of these now scarce or absent carnivores, large herds of herbivores, such as mule deer in Yosemite and Zion, or elk in Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain national parks, lose their migratory ways and loiter in one area, devouring tender young plants until few — if any — survive to maturity. In groves within 2½ miles of the Visitor Center — the main hub of human activity in the park — they found a scarcity of young oak and no cougar scat. That indicated the deer browsed freely on acorns and oak sprouts because cougars weren't frequenting the area. But in oak groves from 2½ to 5 miles from the Visitor Center, 10 times as many oak trees had survived since the 1920s, when deer populations surged in the valley after a government campaign to eliminate predators such as cougars and coyotes. " That still would be considered low, " Ripple said, adding it's not a sufficient number to regenerate the groves. Cougar droppings found in these areas explain why relatively more young oak survived, the scientists said. The presence of the big cats, although still infrequent, was enough to keep more deer closer to the Visitor Center. http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_9662208 19) " Dumpster Muffin " , one the oaks defenders, is perched high in a platform extended high above the tip-wip of a Coast Redwood situated in the grove. As she gyrates her hips and dances for the crowds below, her platform sways precariously back and forth. One has to wonder why the UC would risk endangering the lives of these noble and fearless defenders in order to remove them against a court injunction, and well before the recent Oaks Grove ruling has been interpreted by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller. " Ayr " , a supporter from the ground, hollers through a bullhorn at the campus police, pleading with them not to risk the lives of the Oaks Defenders, his voice hoarse from back to back days and nights without rest. Luckily for the Treesitters, a multitude of supporters have gathered to observe the reckless actions of the UC police.Unfortunately, the UC has turned a blind eye to the court system, as well as the law and basic human decency. All are invited to visit the grove and support the defenders of these precious Oaks. You can read more about the struggle at the http://www.saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Main.html 20) At 4 p.m. Sunday, a woman rocked back, lofted a green apple toward a grove of trees on the UC Berkeley campus, and was promptly arrested. As she was led away by university officers and the apple lay bruised on the pavement, an 18-month battle over those trees grew more serious - and far more surreal. In a highly scripted and mostly nonviolent demonstration, about 100 people, including Berkeley City Councilwoman Dona Spring, tried to bring water and food - energy bars, sourdough bread, grapes - to Dumpster Muffin and eight other protesters who remain up a tree in an effort to block the building of an athletic center. Rebuffed by more than two dozen officers standing behind metal barricades, the protesters produced an emergency room physician who warned that the tree-sitters might suffer kidney failure without sustenance. As cameras rolled, the doctor had a brief consultation with one of the tree-sitters - who over a blue walkie-talkie reported that he and his colleagues had urine that was " the color of amber. " " If it starts looking like ice tea or Coca-Cola, then you're going to clog up your kidneys with broken-down material from your muscles, " responded Dr. Larry Bedard. It was like that all afternoon, this strange brew of police action and political theater. The very real prospect of danger for the tree-sitters mixed with a series of bizarre and even humorous exchanges, as the smell of sweat and burning sage wafted through. At the center of Sunday's clash was the university's 6-day-old strategy of isolating the tree-sitters, who are now lodged in their one remaining intact fort in a single tree, but move from tree to tree. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/23/BA7S11DFIB.DTL South Dakota: 21) The U.S. Forest Service proposes to use a combination of commercial logging, thinning and prescribed burning to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and mountain pine beetle infestation on about 43,000 acres of the Black Hills National Forest south of Spearfish. Northern Hills District ranger Rhonda O'Byrne recently announced the release of the draft environment impact statement for the West Rim Project. The project area includes Spearfish Canyon, Spearfish Creek, Terry Peak, Iron Creek Lake and Bridal Veil Falls. Chris Stores, assistant natural resources planner for the district, said there currently is no serious outbreak of mountain pine beetles in the area. But, he added, " A lot of the stands are at moderate or high risk. " Of the 53,157 acres encompassed in the project area, 10,000 acres are interspersed private land where no actions are proposed. The Forest Service hasn't determined its preference among three alternatives, Stores said. Under Alternative A, no action would be taken. Under Alternative B, a total of 17,363 acres would be treated. Commercial harvest would be done on 13,379 acres. Thinning would be done on 13,713 acres, and prescribed burning would be conducted on 13,226 acres. The treatments, in many cases, will overlap, Stores said. Under Alternative C, a total of 18,291 acres would be treated, including 13,379 acres of commercial logging, 14,641 acres of thinning and 14,154 acres of prescribed burning. Alternative C was developed from public comments on the original proposal released last September, Stores said. Forest Service officials hope to have the final environmental impact statement finished in August or September. http://rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/06/19/news/top/doc485a893137c214729984\ 18.txt 22) The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to improve forest conditions on more than 30,000 acres west of Custer through a combination of commercial logging, thinning and prescribed burning, according to Hell Canyon District Ranger Mike Lloyd. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the South Project is now available for review, Lloyd said. The project is intended to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and mountain pine beetle infestation, as well as provide a diverse habitat for wildlife, Lloyd said. The project area is about 5 miles west of Custer in the Upper and Lower Pleasant Valley watersheds. Of the 52,081 acres in the project area, 7,800 acres are private land and 1,200 acres are owned by the state of South Dakota where no actions are proposed. The major roads within the project area include U.S. Highway 16, Pleasant Valley Road and Lightning Creek Road. The area is directly south of the Jasper Fire burn, according to Kelly Honors, National Environmental Policy Act planner for the Hell Canyon Ranger District. Honors said the preferred option in the plan calls for commercial logging on 31,527 acres, thinning on about 6,000 acres, and prescribed burning on about 11,000 acres. The second action alternative calls for commercial timber harvest on 32,118 acres, thinning on about 4,000 acres and prescribed burning on about 9,000 acres. http://rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/06/22/news/local/doc485f1deed89a170849\ 7012.txt Indiana: 23) June 20th 7am, Evansville Indiana -- In the early morning hours of June 20th, around 25 police officers from the Indiana State Police (ISP), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Gibson County Sheriff's office descended on the scene of the anti-I69 tree sit, just south of State Road 68 in southern Gibson County (20 miles north of Evansville). The police officers, many of them trained specifically for this purpose, brought in " cherry pickers " and other platform raising equipment in order to reach the sitters. Sitting on platforms suspended 40 feet above the ground, the tree-sitters were not in positions from which they could be easily and safely removed. Arresting officers' reckless behaviors, however, resulted in protesters' quick eviction. One protester was not attached to a safety line during the eviction, but was still hostilely handled by the Conservation Officers. As they reached her with the cherry picker, they pulled her unattached to anything that would have prevented her tumbling to the ground, putting her life in great danger. After evicting the first sitter, officers moved on to the second. They raised the cherry picker below the platform to threaten the sitter, and then lifted the platform with the cherry picker. They proceeded to cut the support line that was holding it in the tree. This protester had locked himself onto the ropes using a " lock box " device intended to help him evade eviction. The officers cut that rope, leaving this protester also without any form of safety. After the tree-sitters were forcibly removed from their tree top positions, they were lowered, cuffed and placed on the ground below the trees. From a telephone recording made during the eviction, it is clear that the arresting officers purposefully laid one of the protesters face down into a patch of poison ivy. People not involved in the tree-sit eviction this morning have reported to the media office that state police officers are pulling people over on the state highways in the vicinity of the sit. One person reports that they were surrounded by 5 police vehicles when stopped. As well, it has been reported that one car had its tires blown out by the state police in order for them to arrest all of the occupants of that vehicle. Arrests from this morning now total 8, with police actively hunting down any of those who have been involved in the sit. Donations for the legal support for these individuals are greatly and urgently needed. http://www.stopi69.wordpress.com 24) Roadblock Earth First! is going to shut this road down, and we need your help. The plan (one of many) is to shut down construction every day for thirty days: an entire month of unabated roadblocks! We have a thirty-day calendar, and each affinity group signs up for a day to shut down construction. The first day on that calendar is Day X. If you and your group want to bottom-line the 13th day, you sign up for Day X+12. (This does not include weekends, as it is probable that they won't be working then. If they are, they will be paying overtime, which means they're already losing money) SO: study the maps, come up with a plan, and sign up for a day. Then practice the skills, acquire the gear, organize your ride. And be ready to roll when you get the call. Oh, and by the way, you should have a back-up plan in place. There's always the chance that you all are doing so well that there's no construction to shut down! Email efindiana with the day your group wants and we will put you down on the calendar. We will try to keep and updated visual (affinity groups' names will be kept off it of course) so that everyone can see the progress being made at arranging affinity groups to shut down construction http://stopi69.wordpress.com/x-69-shutdown-schedule/ 25) Around 3:30 p.m. on Friday June 20, in response to the eviction of the tree-sit along the proposed route of I-69 and the reckless and dangerous arrest of the tree-sitters and their supporters, opponents of the highway converged upon the I-69 planning office in downtown Bloomington, Indiana. Armed only with whistles, signs, and shouts of rage, these opponents of the interstate raised a ruckus in the lobby, chanting " I-69, shut it down! Michael J. Baker out of our town! " Michael J. Baker is the company that oversees the planning of Section 5 of I-69, and has an office in the One City Center building in Bloomington. The office has been closed recently due to " illness " . Several employees from other offices in the building tried to photograph the protesters, and one businessman walked outside and blocked the doors in an attempt to keep the protesters inside until police arrived. The protesters managed to escape, but one person was tackled outside by the plainclothes Detective Cody Forston. Cody Forston handcuffed and pinned him on the ground until the police arrived in a convoy of three cars. The arrested man was charged with battery and domestic disturbance, although the charge of domestic disturbance was dropped. One copwatcher with a camcorder recorded the arrest. http://shiftshapers.gnn.tv/blogs/28672/I_69_Resistance_Continues 26) Anti-I69 activists staged a raucous torch-lit march through the streets of downtown Bloomington, Indiana on Saturday evening to protest the arrest of two tree-sitters and six ground supporters at the I-69 construction site just north of Evansville. One marcher was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic after having taken pictures of the police following the march. He was later released on his own recognizance. I-69, the NAFTA superhighway, is a proposed massive north-south corridor that will eventually include electricity, natural gas, and rail lines as well as up to twelve lanes of traffic. The route will link Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Torches lit up the night sky at the Saturday action. Activists carried banners, banged drums and set off bottle rockets. Bloomington police remained on the sidelines as activists took the streets and stalled traffic. As they passed the jail, activists taunted the police with " no more roads, no more jails, " " you can't put our friends in jail, we will drive the final nail, " and " we will win! " Bloomington police officials apparently selected its burliest officers to stand side by side in a show of force at the I69 Planning Office for section 5. Numerous bystanders joined the march throughout the route.A number of activists were followed by police as they left the march. Anti-I69 activists have been tailed by uniformed and plainclothes police in both the Evansville and Bloomington areas. One group of activists traveling between Louisville and Evansville was followed for several hours and then detained for an additional two hours as police searched their vehicle without a warrant. Opponents of I-69 argue that the Indianapolis to Evansville route is a waste of taxpayer dollars that only serves multi-national corporations who seek to profit from cheap labor and cheap natural resources in Mexico. Further, they note that, if built, I-69 will seriously harm some of the remaining forest land in central Indiana, threaten the habitat of endangered species, and undermine the rural character of small communities along the proposed route. http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20080622202449652 Illinois: 27) With the buzz of a chain saw and a thick, short crack, the first Chicago victim of the emerald ash borer fell a few minutes after noon Thursday. The fallen green ash tree, which stood along a South Side stretch of State Street for almost 40 years, was in a grove where city, state and federal officials last week made the first discovery of the invasive Asian beetle within the city limits. Though the ash borer's debut in the city had been expected given its rapid spread through surrounding states in recent years, officials still reacted with sadness to its arrival. " We always hoped it wasn't going to show up, while knowing the whole time that it was going to show up, " senior city forester John Lough said as he watched workers dismember the tree near State and 29th Streets. " I was hoping it would be a number of years, but it is good that we found it as early as we could. " First found in Michigan in 2002, the half-inch emerald ash borer has swept across the Midwest and into Illinois communities with astonishing quickness, destroying more than 20 million ash trees. In Chicago, where more than 96,000 ash trees line city streets and make up almost one-fifth of the city's street tree population, experts warned that the effect of the beetle's spread could be devastating. " Ash trees are good, strong trees. They're reliable, they grow well, they're inexpensive to produce, " said Edith Makra, arborist and community tree advocate for Morton Arboretum. " We'd be losing the workhorse component of the urban forest, and with the volume and spread of ash trees, that's pretty extensive. " http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-emerald-ash-borerjun20,0,1230537.st\ ory Alabama: 28) Alabama Power Co. has abandoned its legal battle against two Jacksonville residents who chained themselves to some trees last year to keep the utility from cutting them down Utility spokeswoman Gina Warren said the company's legal team decided not to appeal a judge's ruling in March that went in favor of the trees Alabama Power, which is owned by Atlanta-based energy provider Southern Co., has said it disagrees with Calhoun County Circuit Judge John Thomason's ruling, which held that the utility could trim the trees, but not cut them down. The decision favored Barbara Wilson and Rufus Kinney, who sat in folding chairs and chained themselves to trees on two separate days last year when cutters arrived. Thomason also ordered the power company not to trim the trees any more than normal in the past. The utility has always trimmed and sometimes removed trees it believes interfere with power lines, but stepped up the trimming program after hurricanes Katrina and Ivan. A company spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday on whether the ruling would affect cutting plans elsewhere. Kinney said in a phone interview Wednesday that after a year of fighting for the decades-old pecan and cherry trees, he and Wilson were relieved the battle is over. " Quite frankly, we're thankful to God, " he said. " This became a matter of faith to Barbara Wilson and me. We believed in God, that God would help us through this and would save our trees. " Kinney said he and Wilson _ who hardly knew each other when the dispute began but have since become good friends _ " jumped for joy " after the March ruling. The utility's decision not to appeal was first reported by The Anniston Star. Warren said that, although no further legal action will be taken, the company's position had not changed. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/8eafda0b7bcc7e1548d5b5d4ab0d\ 3820.htm Massachusetts: 29) Andrea LeClair was in the third grade at Spofford Pond Elementary School in Boxford when town officials decided to do some work on the grounds. Part of the renovation required cutting down a small cluster of trees, and that didn't sit well with LeClair and some of her classmates. They marched down to the principal's office determined to take a stand and save the trees, but third- graders rarely have the political and economic clout needed to sway municipal decisions. The trees came down, but LeClair had her first taste of environmental activism. Last week, LeClair, who is now 22 and lives in Amesbury, had another big helping when she was arrested outside a Kimberly-Clark plant in Milford, Conn., after she and two of her fellow Greenpeace members chained themselves to a fence and blocked the entrance to the mill. Greenpeace was protesting Kimberly-Clark's practice of using old-growth trees from the Canadian boreal forest to make Kleenex and other popular disposable paper products. LeClair was charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing private property. " We want to urge Kimberly-Clark to respect these endangered ancient forests, " says LeClair who has been working on Greenpeace's Kleercut campaign since January. Launched by Greenpeace back in 2004, the Kleercut campaign also urges the giant paper manufacturer to use more recycled material in its product lines. http://www.wickedlocal.com/amesbury/news/x1743977143/Local-activist-fights-for-o\ ld-growth-forest -lands Tennessee: 30) A sugar maple that's wider than a recliner stands on the edge of a forest within a forest in western Davidson County. That maple, which is older than Nashville, is just a hint of the massive oaks, American beech, red pignut hickory and other trees deeper in the hilly woods, where no logging or even selective cutting has taken place for centuries — if ever. The old-growth forest, a rarity throughout the country, has astounded timber and natural world experts, and it has set the Friends of Warner Parks on a mission. The group signed a contract two weeks ago to buy the 322-acre property from owner H.G. Hill Realty and make it part of Metro's Warner Parks to save for future generations. The company has offered to sell the land between Highways 100 and 70S near Bellevue for $13.25 million. That's discounted $3.75 million from its appraised value. The Friends group is almost halfway there, having quietly raised $6 million over the last year. The rest, however, is needed by the year's end. " We will then have something that no other city in the country has: an old growth forest of this size within an urban park, " said Warner Bass, chairman of the Friends campaign, as he looked over the land last week. " The educational attributes of that and the conservation attributes and the specialness, if you will, are just incredible. " He and his guide, William Fields, an H.G. Hill Realty property manager who grew up on the adjoining farm, were walking up a steep hill past oaks and hickories. Thick, leafy branches of trees — some estimated at more than 300 years old — blocked all but a few rays of sunlight. Ginseng, an indicator of a biologically rich ecosystem, greened part of the leaf-strewn forest floor. H.G. Hill Sr., now deceased, is the reason the forest exists today, the two men said. " He really loved the trees, " said Fields, 52, who has lived virtually his entire life on the property. " We would cut some dead trees for firewood on the edge, but Mr. Hill never wanted a live tree cut. " The story has it that he bought the property shortly after 1900 to build a home for himself and his wife. When the couple drove the long, slow way there from what was then the city of Nashville, she wasn't thrilled. She preferred a place not so far into the wilds, and they built closer to town. He kept the land, however, and put a farm on one end. Over the years logging companies came through cutting everywhere, including parts of the land that is now the nearby 2,680-acre Warner Parks. http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080623/GREEN02/806230344/\ 1006/NEWS01 31) The Rocky Fork purchase by state and federal agencies is still on the front burner, according to several government representatives. The " Rocky Fork Tract " in Unicoi County and Greene Counties is up for sale, and is nothing new to local residents and officials. The portion of the land which lies in Unicoi County is, by all accounts, the most desirable portion of the tract. Approximately 6,000 acres of the Rocky Fork property is in Unicoi County, while some 4,000 acres is in Greene County. Forest Service personnel, as well as those who know the tract in its entirety, say the primary interest lies in the portion of land located in Unicoi County. On the Unicoi County side of the property are pure mountain streams which support wildlife and their habitat. Ranger Terry Bowerman, headquartered in Greeneville, told The Beacon that the Greene County side of Rocky Fork borders the Sampson Mountain Wilderness Area and is rugged, very steep terrain and not well suited to develop for recreation. He stated that as far as his agency is concerned, the Forest Service would serve in a management capacity on the Greene County portion of the property. According to reliable sources, the 4,000 portion of Rocky Fork in Greene County cannot be reached by vehicle from that county. The land is accessible by foot traveling from the end of Cold Mountain Road (Horse Creek State Park). The hike is said to be very difficult by foot. Bowerman did state that in the " Priority I Section, " the Appalachian Trail (approximately 1.2 miles) runs through the land. He added that there were some plans, once the land is acquired, to do a relocation of the Appalachian Trail. After consulting Forest Service maps, Bowerman said it appeared that the 1.2 mile section was just inside Unicoi County. " I guess that means that the ground in Greene County…we don't really have any plans for it except the general management. " During the last year, the Rocky Fork acquisition has been the U.S. Forest Service's top southeastern regional priority for acquisition. Several sources have said that Rocky Fork is now the top nationwide acquisition priority for the U.S. Forest Service. http://www.vbbeacon.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/06/19/48594af724350 Florida: 32) Baranski is studying the population and behavior of red-cockaded woodpeckers in Big Cypress, the southernmost point in the species' range. Big Cypress RCWs are unique: In North Florida and other Southeastern states, they build cavities in longleaf pines, but in South Florida, they use slash pines. " North Florida is where the research has been done, " Baranski said. " We know everything we need to know about longleaf RCWs, but there's a large lack of information down here as far as habitat use. " " Here the habitat is much more extreme, harsher. Reproductive success is lower here because it's harder for the birds to find food, so they spend more time foraging and less time defending their cavities. " In the north, two to three RCW hatchlings typically survive; in Big Cypress, usually only one fledges. " Down here, if there are four eggs and all of them hatch, that's four mouths to feed, but there's only food for one or two, so the rest die. " Red-cockaded woodpeckers live in clans made up of a nesting pair, the year's offspring and one or more helpers, offspring from previous years that help defend cavities and raise the young. " We don't have many helpers down here, " Baranski said. " We're trying to figure out why. " Each clan lives in what scientists call a " cluster " of trees that can cover 200 acres - only one clan per cluster. " The other day, we documented No. 87. Our goals are to check clusters each year to assess activity and make sure they're still active.In northern red-cockaded woodpecker habitats, clusters are easy to reach with ground vehicles, but in the 700,000-acre Big Cypress, Baranski often gets around by helicopter. His most difficult task is monitoring fledglings: Using GPS coordinates, Baranski flies to the tree where the fledgling hatched then hikes through the birds' territory listening and looking. After documenting the adults and female fledgling, it was back to the helicopter and pilot Carlos Luque for the flight to the nest tree of cluster No. 44 at Raccoon Point, where a 7-day-old chick was still in the nest. With a ladder and tree-climbing gear, Baranski climbed 30 feet to the cavity and caught the chick in a fishing-line slipknot.Back on the ground, he weighed and measured the chick and placed three colored plastic bands on its left leg. This bird got a yellow band between two reds: The color sequence will allow researchers to identify the bird in the future without having to capture it. http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080623/NEWS0105/806230344\ /1075 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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