Forward of Cheryl Jones' post to VARList about the WNS hearing in Congress.
Mark Minton The testimony on WNS before the joint sub-committee* today went very well. "Our" panel of Peter Youngbaer, Merlin Tuttle (BCI), and Scott Darling (Vermont F&W Dept.) and Tom Kunz (Boston U.) did a terrific job, and Peter sure did the NSS proud. The NSS received kudos from the USF&W and USFS witnesses. Although it would appear that with only 6 or 7 sub-committee members present the hearing was poorly attended. However the staff said that actually attendance was excellent -- often only the chairman shows up for hearings. The audience seating was over flowing, primarily with congressional staff taking careful notes. It was great to have VAR's Gordon Brace and Bat World NOVA's Leslie Sturges in the audience as well. Thanks for the support! . The committee members seemed quite interested, and appeared to (eventually) grasp the situation, issues, the value of bats, and need for research funding. Fingers crossed. A copy of the conservation issue of the NSS News (the issue with the WNS bat on the back cover) was distributed to the committee, and available for attendees. Go here to watch the video of the hearing -- I think you'll find it pretty interesting --and/or to read the written statements that were presented in advance to the sub-committee members http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&extmode=view&extid=259 A take away quote: "It probably is the most serious threat to American wildlife of the past century." Cheryl *Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands and the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife
