DENY OAKRIDGE APPLICATION TO EXPAND LANDFILL NEAR FRANCIS BEIDLER FOREST

The Board of Friends of the Edisto (FRED) voted unanimously to actively oppose the application of Oakridge Landfill in Dorchester County for a 401 Water Quality Certification from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) which would permit the effective destruction of 18 acres of freshwater wetlands in order to expand the Oakridge Landfill at the edge of Four Holes Swamp, home to the Francis Beidler Forest.

The Manager of Francis Beidler Forest said, “the collective impact would be to rip out another small piece from the comprehensive fabric of what is the Four Holes Swamp ecosystem, which would be a terrible and unnecessary loss.” Surely there must be feasible alternatives to this proposal to expand this huge landfill at such an environmentally sensitive location, and to destroy these critical wetlands. For more information and to record your opposition to the landfill you can sign a FRED petition at http://www.change.org/users/29386005 You do not have to be a South Carolina resident to sign the petition.

TEN WAYS YOU CAN PROTECT BIRDS THIS SPRING

MEDIA RELEASE Contact: Robert Johns, 202-234-7181 ext.210. bjohns@abcbirds.org

(Washington, D.C., April 9, 2013)

As temperatures start to climb, birds begin their annual spring migration and also begin breeding. American Bird Conservancy (ABC) often gets asked, particularly during the spring, “How can I help the birds?” Here are the top ten things ABC recommends people do to aid or protect birds in their homes and yards.

According to Dr. George Fenwick, President of ABC, “Birds need help now more than ever. In addition to the ongoing threat of loss of habitat, staggering numbers of birds are directly killed due to a number of other human-related causes. Scientists estimate that 300 million to one billion birds die each year from collisions with buildings. Up to 50 million die from encounters with communication towers. Studies suggest that up to six million may die EACH DAY from attacks by cats left outdoors. These deaths occur year-round, but many occur during the peak spring and fall migrations. Some studies suggest that perhaps as many as half of all migrating birds do not make it back home, succumbing to various threats on either end of the journey.”

TOP TEN WAYS TO HELP BIRDS THIS SPRING

1. Keep your cat indoors —This is best for your cat as well as for the birds, as indoor cats live an average of three to seven times longer. Domestic cats, which are not native to the United States, are an introduced predator against which birds have no defense. Cats are responsible for an estimated 2.4 billion bird deaths each year. Some species have gone extinct because of cats! Even well-fed cats instinctively kill birds, and bells on cats don’t effectively warn birds of cat strikes. In the spring, young birds or nestlings often find themselves on the ground calling for a parent, only to end up attracting the fatal attention of a nearby cat. Because of this, studies show that bird mortality from cats in the spring is disproportionately higher when compared to other times of the year.

2. Prevent birds hitting your windows by using a variety of treatments to the glass on your home. Collisions with glass constitute a major source of bird mortality , with as many as one billion dying each year. See ABC’s new flyer!

3. Eliminate pesticides from your yard—even those pesticides that are not directly toxic to birds can pollute waterways and reduce insects that birds rely on for food—and try to buy organic food to help reduce pesticide use on farms. For rodent control, seal cracks, remove food sources, and use snap and electric traps rather than rodenticides, which poison birds as well as young children. Learn more here.

4. Create backyard habitat—yards both large and small can benefit birds and other wildlife. Create a diverse landscape by planting native grasses, flowers, and shrubs that attract birds. You will be rewarded by their beauty and song, and will have fewer insect pests as a result.

5. Donate old bird-watching equipment such as binoculars or spotting scopes to local bird watching groups—they can get them to schools or biologists in other countries who may not have the resources they need. More people studying birds means more voices for bird conservation!

6. Reduce your carbon footprint—use a hand-pushed or electric lawnmower, carpool, and use low-energy bulbs and Energy Star appliances. Less energy used means less habitat destroyed for energy production.

7. Buy organic food and drink shade-grown coffee—increasing the market for produce grown without the use of pesticides, which can be toxic to birds and other animals, will reduce the use of these hazardous chemicals in the U.S. and overseas. Shade coffee farms have been demonstrated to provide far superior habitat for birds than coffee grown in open sun.

8. Keep feeders and bird baths clean and change the water regularly to avoid disease and prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

9. Support bird-friendly legislation—Example: HR 1643, a proposed bill that provides for bird-friendly federal buildings. Take a look at the ABC action center.

10. Join a bird conservation group such as ABC —learn more about birds and support important conservation work. The upcoming issue of ABC’s Bird Conservation magazine features migratory birds. To join ABC CLICK/TAP HERE

“Protecting and helping birds is not only the right thing to do, it is also good for the economy and the future of our environment. Birds are invaluable as controllers of insect pests, as pollinators of crops, and dispersers of native plant seeds, and they also generate tremendous economic revenues through the pastimes of bird feeding and bird watching,” said Fenwick.

A federal government study reports that over 20 percent of the U.S. population – 48 million people – participates in bird watching. Of that total, about 42 percent (20 million people) actually travel to see birds. Birders spend about $36 billion annually in pursuit of their pastime. The top five bird watching states by percentage of total population are: Montana (40%); Maine (39%); Vermont (38%); Minnesota (33%); and Iowa (33%).

# American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to conserve native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC acts by safeguarding the rarest species, conserving and restoring habitats, and reducing threats, while building capacity in the bird conservation movement.

ACTIVISTS CALL FOR SANCTIONS OVER THAILAND'S ELEPHANT IVORY TRADE

BANGKOK -- Ivory is easy to find on the stalls of Chatuchak Market and River City mall in Bangkok. On display at just one shop are hundreds of pounds of carved elephant tusk, unthinkable in most capitals but freely and legitimately for sale in Thailand.

As many as 30,000 elephants were slaughtered globally last year, environmental groups say, and populations are rapidly dwindling, with poachers undeterred by a ban on the international ivory trade in existence since 1989.

Thailand allows its nationals to trade in ivory from elephants that have died of natural causes inside its borders. But animal activists say the system is abused and ivory from Africa and elsewhere is "laundered" through the country.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) holds a conference in Bangkok from March 3 to 14 and -- to the embarrassment of the hosts -- environmental groups such as World Wide Fund for Nature and TRAFFIC plan to table a motion calling for sanctions against Thailand.

"One of the reasons Thailand is being hit so hard in the CITES conference is, if you look at the numbers of domestic elephants and the numbers of Thailand's ivory carvers, it doesn't add up," said William Schaedla, director of Southeast Asia for TRAFFIC, an NGO for monitoring wildlife trade.

TRAFFIC estimates the country's elephant population and the natural death rate would provide only 18.5 pounds of ivory per registered carver a year. But poor enforcement and regulation mean Thai merchants can lay their hands on much larger quantities. 'A bottomless pit'

After the 1989 ban, countries were supposed to inventory their pre-existing stockpiles so CITES could keep tabs on them. Thailand never did, animal rights groups say. "There's an undisclosed amount of ivory in the country, so essentially a bottomless pit to launder through," said Schaedla. Thai ivory is supposed to be certified, but according to Schaedla this involves an easily forged slip of paper that the government doesn't bother to track, meaning African ivory can easily enter the market.

These failures mean Thailand now faces sanctions that, at their strongest, would ban its participation in international trade in the most endangered CITES-listed species, including reptile skins and rare orchids in which it has thriving markets.

Only Thai nationals should be able to buy ivory inside the country but buyers from Europe, the Americas and China are more common. Crackdowns are rare, and mostly occur during the run-up to CITES conferences, NGOs said.

Efforts have been made to clean up the laws governing elephants, but lobbying from ivory carvers and elephant owners derailed the process. "The resolution of this issue is about political will, and Thailand has repeatedly kicked the can down the road," said Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC's director for South and East Africa.

Some believe sanctions aren't enough, and that the only way to save Africa's elephants is to ban all ivory markets, including those in Thailand and China, the world's largest. "Our position is any legal market provides a parallel illegal market," said Mary Rice of the Environmental Investigation Agency, a London-based NGO. Ivory 'should be illegal'

The EIA estimates that over 90 percent of the ivory on sale in China is illegally sourced. "We must target the demand side and ensure markets in China and Thailand for ivory are banned. Ivory should be illegal without exception," Shelley Waterland of the Born Free Foundation told a news conference in Bangkok on Thursday.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Wednesday Thailand would "consider" a ban on the domestic ivory trade, but some officials apparently see no need. "The Thai government has a system to control the ivory trade from domestic animals already," said Theeraphat Prayurasith, deputy director of Thailand's Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Protection. "We do not use African ivory in this country, and the quantities are not too large to be from domestic ivory. It is the right of Thai people to use domestic elephants," he said.

Activists will argue at the CITES conference that this system is not working, and the Thai ivory trade is a big factor behind dwindling African elephant populations. "No one is going to hammer them and hit them with sanctions if they do something. But there's an appearance of subterfuge and stalling," said Schaedla.

Reuters

THE IMPACT OF FREE-RANGING DOMESTIC CATS ON WILDLIFE OF THE UNITED STATES

Scott R. Loss, Tom Will, & Peter P. Marra

Abstract:

Anthropogenic threats, such as collisions with man-made structures, vehicles, poisoning and predation by domestic pets, combine to kill billions of wildlife annually. Free-ranging domestic cats have been introduced globally and have contributed to multiple wildlife extinctions on islands. The magnitude of mortality they cause in mainland areas remains speculative, with large-scale estimates based on non-systematic analyses and little consideration of scientic data. Here we conduct a systematic review and quantitatively estimate mortality caused by cats in the United States. We estimate that free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.4–3.7 billion birds and 6.9–20.7 billion mammals annually. Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality. Our fndings suggest that free-ranging cats cause substantially greater wildlife mortality than previously thought and are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for US birds and mammals. Scientifically sound conservation and policy intervention is needed to reduce this impact.

to access the complete article CLICK HERE

RAT POISON MANUFACTURERS FLOUT GOVERNMERNMENT SAFETY RULES-ACT NOW!

Three companies have refused to comply with a government order to stop selling certain super-toxic rat poisons in formulations that can harm children, birds, other wildlife, dogs, and cats. The recalcitrant companies include the world’s largest producer of household cleaning products, Reckitt Benckiser, and the pet-care products manufacturer, Spectrum Brands. Will you help us tell these companies that their behavior is not acceptable?

Most pest-control product manufacturers have made the required safety improvements, encasing their rat poisons in bait stations that prevent access by children and pets, and restricting the sale of “second generation” rodenticides that can cause fatal hemorrhaging in owls, Bald Eagles and other wildlife. Most recently, a Red-tailed Hawk, the mate of the renowned and beloved Pale Male, was killed in New York City.

These three companies have spurned government directives, continuing to market their poisons as loose pellets and pastes rather than in bait stations, and to peddle to residential consumers the most toxic formulations. To lern more and register a commplaint Click Here.

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROPOSES UPGRADING WOOD STORK'S STATUS

Wood storks in the Southeastern United States no longer face imminent danger of extinction

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to upgrade the status of the U. S. breeding population of wood storks from Endangered to Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposal follows a comprehensive review, conducted by Service biologists, of the best available scientific and commercial information about the species’ status.

“The proposed reclassification of the wood stork demonstrates that the Endangered Species Act works,” said Dan Ashe, Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “This is a good day for the wood stork, and a good day for conservation. Thanks to great efforts from our conservation partners, the species is making real progress toward recovery.”

The wood stork is the only true species of stork nesting in the United States. Since its original ESA listing as endangered in 1984 the U.S. breeding population has shown substantial improvement in the numbers of nesting pairs as a whole and the expansion of its breeding range. The three-year averages during the past 10 years (2001 – 2010) range from 7,086 to 8,996 nesting pairs, all above the 6,000 nesting pair benchmark average established for reclassifying the species as Threatened, but well below the five-year average of 10,000 nesting pairs needed for delisting.

“Although some habitat loss continues, current population data clearly indicate that the wood stork is benefiting from the work of private landowners and several strong partnership efforts,” said Cindy Dohner, the Service’s Southeast Regional Director. “The wood stork is expanding its breeding range using a wide variety of wetlands to forage, roost, and breed, including man-made and restored wetlands.”

The proposed reclassification would not change any conservation or protection measures for the wood stork under the ESA. Rather it would recognize the stork’s ongoing recovery and the positive impact that collaborative conservation efforts over the last two decades have had on breeding populations. With a continuing trend, the species could become suitable for de-listing from the ESA. Therefore, addressing the threats associated with habitat loss, including the protection of natural wetlands through partnerships and the focused management of public lands, remains a conservation priority for the Service.

When the Service originally listed the Southeastern U.S. portion of the population, the wood stork’s range included Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama and breeding was primarily in central and south Florida. Historically the Florida Everglades and the Big Cypress National Preserve once supported large breeding colonies. Today its range includes portions of North Carolina and Mississippi with significant nesting in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Biologists believe man-made changes in the Everglades and Big Cypress ecosystems have contributed to the bird’s expanded breeding range.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetlands Reserve Program has restored over 200,000 acres of wetlands in Florida and more than 115,000 acres in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina during the past 18 years. Thousands of acres of wetlands are also being protected on private lands to assist in habitat and wildlife protection through restoration in conjunction with establishing conservation easements. Wetland losses are being avoided, minimized, and mitigated through project consultations and the regulatory process.

“The wood stork has shown a fascinating ability to respond to changes in hydrology by broadening its breeding range beyond central Florida, the Everglades, and Big Cypress ecosystems,” said Dave Hankla, Field Supervisor for the Service’s North Florida Ecological Services Office in Jacksonville. “However, this does not reduce the importance restoration of the stork’s historical breeding area has for recovery. Nor does it diminish the significant role South Florida’s ecosystems play for wood storks and other wildlife.”

Large-scale restoration projects such as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP), Kissimmee River Restoration Project, and St. Johns River Headwaters Restoration Project are significant conservation efforts that continue to greatly benefit wood stork recovery. Florida nesting pairs totaled more than 5,000 in 2011. Here are some examples from other states:

· Alabama: Ongoing wetlands restoration projects, such as those undertaken in several U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuges (Eufaula and Choctaw NWRs) and the State of Alabama's Wildlife Management Areas (Demopolis WMA and Upper Delta WMA), are providing excellent foraging habitat for post-breeding wood storks dispersing following the nesting season.

· Georgia: Through public and private partnerships with NRCS, nearly 20,000 acres of key wetlands are restored and/or being managed for the benefit of a wide variety of wildlife, including nesting wood storks. In 2011, Georgia had 2,160 nesting pairs.

· Mississippi: Along the eastern part of the state, wetlands associated with federal lands (including the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, with its moist-soil waterfowl management, and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway) attract feeding wood storks, as well as other long-legged wading birds and wildlife.

· North Carolina: Wood storks were first observed nesting in North Carolina in 2005, with the two known colonies occurring on private lands. While the wood storks nest on private lands, the birds are routinely observed foraging on a broad range of federal and state protected wetlands throughout southeastern North Carolina. In 2011 the nesting survey found 96 nesting pairs bringing the State’s three-year average to 141 pairs.

· South Carolina: Public and private partnerships, such as the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto (ACE) Basin Task Force protect and manage coastal estuaries and are contributing to a growing number of wood stork nesting colonies. In 2011, South Carolina’s three-year average was 2,031 nesting pairs.

The announcement, which will publish in the Federal Register in coming days, also constitutes the Service’s 12-month warranted finding on a petition to reclassify the wood stork which was submitted by the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) and Biological Research Associates (BRA), on behalf of the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA).

To ensure its final decision reflects the best available information, the Service is soliciting comments from the public, other concerned governmental agencies, Tribal governments, the scientific community, industry, and any other interested parties. Of particular interest is information and comments concerning:

(1) The historical and current status and distribution of the wood stork, its biology and ecology, and ongoing conservation measures for the species and its habitat.

(2) Wood stork nesting colony location data (latitude/longitude in decimal degrees to confirm or improve the Service’s location accuracy); nest census counts and survey dates; years when a colony was active or not; years and dates when a colony was abandoned (fully or partially); and annual productivity rates (per total nest starts and per successful nests) and average chicks per nest estimates from U.S. colonies.

(3) Current or planned activities within the geographic range of the U.S. breeding population of the wood stork that may impact or benefit the species, including any acquisition of large tracts of wetlands, wetland restoration projects, planned developments, roads, or expansion of agricultural or mining enterprises, especially those near nesting colonies and surrounding suitable foraging habitats.

Anyone wishing to submit information regarding the wood stork throughout its Southeast U.S. breeding range may do so via one of the following methods once the rule has published:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov Follow the instructions for submitting comments for Docket FWS-R4-ES-2011-0020. U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R4-ES-2011-0020; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.

The Service will post all information received on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that any personal information provided also will be posted.

Comments and information must be received or postmarked on or before 60 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.

Submissions merely stating support for or opposition to the proposed action without providing supporting information, although noted, will not be considered in making a determination. Section 4(b)(1)(A) of the ESA directs that determinations as to whether any species is a threatened or endangered species must be made solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available.

For more information about the wood stork and this finding, please visit the Service at http://www.fws.gov/northflorida

Florida currently prohibits possession or sale of Burmese pythons for use as pets, and federal law bans the importation and interstate sale of this species.

TELL WASHINGTON TO REJECT WEAKENING PROTECTIONS FOR BALD AND GOLDEN EAGLES

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed a rule change that will result in more eagles being killed at wind energy projects. They have proposed providing wind companies permits that would legally allow developers to kill majestic Bald and Golden Eagles throughout the United States for 30 years.

Please join ABC in telling Congress and the Fish and Wildlife Service to withdraw this dangerous proposed rule change and protect these iconic birds for future generations of Americans.

It wasn’t that long ago that Bald Eagle numbers plummeted to just 800 breeding birds, placing them on the Endangered Species List and putting their very existence in doubt. Majestic Golden Eagles, also suffered declines, and continue to struggle today in the face of ongoing threats.

The federal government currently allows corporations to get permits to avoid prosecution for killing limited numbers of eagles as part of their normal operations if they also promise to offset this damage. These permits must be renewed every five years, giving the government regular opportunity to assess an industry’s operations. However, at the request of wind energy industry lobbyists, the federal government has now proposed making the permits good for 30 years! That means 30 years without the possibility for public review of the permit.

This will lead to more dead eagles, more costly lawsuits, and more Americans who will wonder why some private businesses are getting a free pass to kill some of our nation’s most remarkable birds.

To take action: CLICK HERE

-FWS-

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