Posted by [EMAIL PROTECTED] : From: Jonathan Proctor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (by way of Wild Rockies InfoNet) Subject: National Grasslands Alert Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Sender: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Precedence: Bulk NATIONAL GRASSLANDS COMMENTS NEEDED Sign our on-line petition at http://www.predatorconservation.org/petition.html COMMENTS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! On July 7, the U.S. Forest Service released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) outlining ways to manage eight National Grasslands and two National Forests in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming. They are accepting public comments until JANUARY 13, 2000. The final plan will guide management on 2.9 million acres of public lands - an area larger than Yellowstone National Park. Predator Conservation Alliance has developed recommendations based on the knowledge of biologists, advocates and policy analysts, which we believe can restore our prairie grassland ecosystem on the northern National Grasslands. Two ways to send your comments: #1: Sign our on-line petition at http://www.predatorconservation.org/petition.html asking the Forest Service to restore prairie wildlife on our National Grasslands. It only takes a few seconds. #2: E-mail personal comments to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], or mail to Northern Great Plains Planning Team, 125 North Main St., Chadron, NE 69337, fax 308-432-0309 (keep in mind that mailed letters are better than e-mailed letters). Points to include in your personal letter: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement and proposed management plans for the northern Great Plains National Grasslands do not go nearly far enough to change the way these lands are managed. The following changes should be included in the final management plans: * The Forest Service should manage for a full complement of native species on all National Grasslands. The Forest Service is required to manage our public lands for the long-term conservation of all native wildlife. Priority should be given to adequately protect imperiled species - such as the swift fox, mountain plover and ferruginous hawk - and to restore native species such as the black-footed ferret and bison. * Management should give priority to conserving and restoring prairie dog towns until they occupy a minimum of 10% of the suitable habitat on our National Grasslands. Prairie dogs are the engineers that create a unique ecosystem used by dozens of prairie species. The Forest Service should eliminate prairie dog poisoning and shooting to allow for the natural expansion of prairie dogs to reach this ten percent level. * One-third of National Grasslands should be rested from livestock grazing annually. This will allow adequate amounts of taller grasses necessary for several wildlife species. Livestock should also be kept away from streams and wetlands. * Wild bison should be restored on our National Grasslands. The majority of public comment supports bison restoration. Bison should be reintroduced onto our public grasslands bordering Badlands National Park and Theodore Roosevelt National Park to expand the size and range of the National Parks' present herds. Bison should also be restored to the Soldier Creek Wilderness in the Nebraska National Forest. * Black-footed ferrets should be reintroduced wherever feasible, and reintroduction sites should be as large as possible. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified nine ferret reintroduction sites on our public grasslands in the northern Plains. Considering that ferrets are one of the most endangered mammals on the continent, the Forest Service should reintroduce ferrets to all nine areas. * Oil and gas development should be prohibited where it is incompatible with other uses. The Forest Service should not allow oil and gas development in proposed wilderness areas, and should deny placement of fixed structures for all remaining roadless areas, special interest areas, research natural areas and other important wildlife and recreation areas. * All remaining roadless grassland areas should be proposed for wilderness designation. These 45 areas (574,000 acres) account for only 20% of the total public land area, and only a tiny fraction of the entire northern Great Plains region. This is the best way to preserve the natural character of these few remaining wild areas. Please forward this e-mail to your friends so that they can sign our on-line petition also! THANK YOU FOR HELPING PROTECT THE GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS OF THE AMERICAN GREAT PLAINS! For more information, please contact: ----------------------------- Jonathan Proctor Predator Conservation Alliance Prairie Dog Ecosystem Campaign 801 Sherwood, Suite B, Missoula, MT 59802 406-543-8424, Fax: 406-728-9432 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ News Submissions or Problems: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This list is a public service provided by WIN: http://www.wildrockies.org
