Patrick Moore wrote: > Re: Canada's So-Called Secret > > One fact the story about marbled murrelets omits is that there are over > 50,000 of these birds on the coast of BC and an equal or greater number off > Alaska. There is no indication of population decline. Mr. Moore, Would you be so kind as to provide us with the source of your data relative to Marbled Murrelet populations in BC? Nowadays, it seems that too many people play fast and loose with scientific "facts," I'd like your sources for my files. > It is > ludicrous to suggest that there will be an insufficient supply of large > limbs on the BC coast for Murrelets to nest in. There are so many cliffs and > inaccessible areas covered in old trees that the logging here will never be > a threat to the murrelet's survival. As with the spotted owl, the murrelet > is being used for preservationist goals when there is no chance that logging > would ever cause their extinction. Again Mr. Moore, would you be so kind as to provide us with the scientific sources of your data? I was under the impression that Murrelets inhabited inland old-growth forests, in fact this is their preferred habitat. Also, relative to your claim that spotted owls would never go extinct due to logging, could you cite the source for this data? Is this hypothesis based upon computer modeling, gap-analysis, or what? Might I suggest that you read: Forsman, Eric D, and E. Charles Meslow, 1977. "Spotted Owl Abundance in Second-Growth Versus Old-Growth Forests in Western Oregon," Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, FS-R6 Thomas, J.W. ed. 1979 "Wildlife Habitats in Managed Forests: The Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington." Agriculture Handbook 553. Washington, D.C: USDA Forest Service. Thomas, J.W., E.D. Forsman, J.B. Lint, E.C. Meslow, B.R. Noon, and J.Verner. 1990. "A conservation strategy for the northern spotted owl." Portland, Or: USDA Forest Service. Eric Forsman is the world's leading authority on the spotted owl, and, as you may already know, Jack Ward Thomas has had a very distinguished career in the U.S. Forest Service, he was in fact the Forest Service Chief before he retired. Both of these scientists have impeccable records, and yet their conclusions seem to contrast yours as stated above. Thanks much for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Bret Diamond
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