Dear Friends,
We moved out of the Clearwater this past Saturday for our hike, east to Asotin Creek, that place where Spring is already well underway. Canyon wrens sang and violet green swallows flew overhead. Asotin Creek, unlike the Clearwater's tributaries, is quite full at this time, having received the bulk of its meltwaters already. The Selway and Lochsa remain relatively low as much of the high country is still receiving snow.
Rare and imperiled species have not fared well the past seven years. In fact several Western species have gone the way of the dodo. This administration has continued to attack the bedrock environmental legislation designed to prevent the irreversible loss of extinction. Though many of these efforts have been thwarted and/or rectified by the judicial branch of our government, damage has been done.
Read about the woes facing endangered species and the act designed to expedite their protection.
Endangered Species Woes
In February of 2004 over 60 leading scientists including Nobel laureates, medical experts, and former federal agency directors, wrote a letter to the Bush administration voicing their concern over the misuse of science in policy decisions. In the letter, they state:
"When scientific knowledge has been found to be in conflict with its political goals, the administration has often manipulated the process through which science enters into its decisions."
For a long list of dirty laundry visit Bush Administration Record on Public Lands
One of the rare and imperiled species currently in need of the protection of the ESA is the wolverine. This wild and rare mesocarnivore (medium sized hunter) can still be trapped in the state of MT, despite its incredible scarcity and sensitivity to disturbance. Please put this date on your calendar and come learn more about Gulo gulo ("the glutton").
Wolverines, Vanishing into Thin Air?
Lastly, if you knew or were friends with the late Leroy Lee, please read on and consider attending the memorial in his honor this coming weekend, March 28-30.
all the best,
Will
