The Forest Service isn’t doing enough to protect
fish, wildlife and plants. And this time it’s not environmentalists
who say so, but people inside the agency. Biologists and botanists
– 170 from 30 different forests – collaborated recently on a letter
to Chief Michael Dombeck, warning him that “many forests now find
their fish, wildlife and botany programs in substantial trouble and
facing serious challenges.”
The April 8 letter
says the agency’s ability to accomplish its conservation goals is
seriously compromised by budget cuts. All budgets have been
slashed, they say, some as much as 75 percent in the past two to
three years.
Urging Dombeck to rethink spending
decisions, they say, “we find that our programs, the partnerships
that have been developed and the personnel, are viewed as
expendable luxury items.” The letter continues, “It isn’t right and
it isn’t reasonable and it can’t be in the best interest of the
agency.”
“I think (the letter
is) pretty significant,” says Chris Woods, assistant to Michael
Dombeck. “It’s not every day that you get that many people from one
profession together like that.” Woods says Dombeck is preparing a
response.
” Emily
Miller
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Dear Michael Dombeck.
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