Yes, the sage grouse is likely to get protection under the Endangered Species Act-
Wyoming waits anxiously for federal decision on bird. Year of the grouse? By Dustin Bleizeffer. Casper Star-Tribune energy reporter.
. . . an amazing quote!
“Industry and conservation leaders alike seem to agree that the restrictions of such a listing would have a chilling effect on the agriculture and minerals industries, which are the foundation of Wyoming’s economy . . . .” ‘I would love to believe we will not see a listing. But I am not as optimistic as I’d like to be,’ said Walt Gasson, executive director of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation.” [emphasis added]
The conservation groups haven’t been co-opted or anything. Yeh, give them a contribution. 🙁
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More on sage grouse today. Wyoming BLM issues sage grouse guidelines. By Mead Gruver. Associated Press Writer.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
It’s this kind of cowardice on the part of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation that caused me to resign from the board in 1997. It was going brown in a hurry and I couldn’t stop it.
At one time, the WWF was a strong voice for progressive hunters, conservation, and the public trust. No longer.
The sage grouse has been in a long decline thanks to livestock grazing and gross mis-management by the BLM and ranchers of the sagebrush ecosystem. The minerals industry (natural gas and coal bed methane) has taken the destruction of sage grouse habitat to new lows. There’s no option but listing the sage grouse under the ESA.
RH
Robert,
Several years after the wolves were restored they gave me a conservation education award. Now they don’t even sound primarily interested in wildlife.
Of topic, but pertinent…
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14122933?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
“”Jack McIver, UI’s vice president of research, found no evidence from Bulgin’s scientific research or testimony that she’d engaged in “practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scientific community.”
His review didn’t include interviews with Bulgin, other Caine Center staffers or Bulgin’s daughter on the question of whether she knew of the 1994 studies. That would have exceeded his probe’s scope, McIver said. “”
See, this is the guy who should have been fired because he knew about and established the funding base for this group and knew there was a built in conflict of interest. And he is the one who gets to do the investigation? What a sham.
Ralph, did you see the article on ravens and magpies effect on grouse, and saghen nesting. You wouldn’t happen to have saved a copy of it.
oh yeah, and this, especially the comments at the end….
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14119958?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
Ralph
I think they get to visit with the governor from time to time to feel important. I truly have no idea what they do anymore. It’s not conservation, that’s for sure.
RH
What’s with these “Wildlife Federations”? The “conservation officer” from Montana Wildlife Federation recently stated that they’d support killing twice as many wolves in a hunt next year. Then we have the C.U.T. deal that was arranged by them and the “behind closed doors” brokering of the Tester logging bill.
Can’t believe their membership doesn’t question some of their actions.
Si’vet,
No I didn’t see the article on ravens and grouse, but they tried that old story in the Little Lost Country in Idaho. Wildlife Services was going to kill just about everything in the valley to “save” the sage grouse when with one look you could see the problem, cattle and sheep.
We shut them down quickly on that idea.
Robert,
I think you’re right. Having important people say nice things to you makes some people forget who they are and what they believe in.
It’s better to not even let them shake your hand. You can bet they’re not worthy.
Let’s not throw all the conservation groups out with this one bad baby’s bath water. There is still a lot of unreplaceable conservation money being spent in the field by many of these outfits, and volunteer sweat as well.
Watch them like hawks, yes, but be honest about the good that many of them do.
What’s with these “Wildlife Federations”?
Wildlife Conservation to many in these groups means keep the animals that are fun to shoot and taste good around. I don’t trust a single organization like that.