FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: BALD EAGLE CONSERVATION - some initial successes, but caution!

[Paul Kane <pmkane@xxxxxxx>]

All,

Those interested in learning more about the status of Bald Eagles and  
the Interior Department review currently underway can find a link to  
a recent New York Times article on this subject  on my Birding  
Journal page at:

http://homepage.mac.com/pmkane/birding/

The journal entry is entitled "Interior Department Asleep At The  
Switch (Again)" The editorial comment on my page is mine alone. Other  
links posted to this same journal entry include a link to a Bald  
Eagle Cam at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens and a link  to an online  
article that appeared recently in the Free-Lance Star regarding the  
Fones Cliffs decision discussed in Steve Eccles' earlier post.

This post is not intended to begin the thread of a larger discussion  
on VA-Bird regarding the  protection that Bald Eagles currently  
enjoy. The articles cited above come under the heading of current  
events, and those interested in this subject may wish to review them.

Paul Kane
Falls Church, VA






On Feb 11, 2007, at 2:52 PM, StephenDEccles@xxxxxxx wrote:

Having 'advertised' here for persons in the Richmond County area who  
might
help in turning back a rezoning proposal for Fones Cliffs, I thought  
I would
report here also on the outcome of the hearing last Thursday:

The Richmond County Board of Supervisors voted down the rezoning by   
3-1,
with one abstention.

I understand that the hearing itself was 'entertaining and dramatic'!  
Bryan
Watts' testimony was said to have electrified the audience with his  
eloquence
in  putting down the misperception that the Bald Eagle will adapt to
development.  So, many thanks to Bryan, who is, as I am sure most of  
you know, Director
  of the Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary.

And many thanks to all those who wrote in, spoke to people before the
hearing and/or appeared at the hearing itself! I cannot name  
everyone, but  the
Northern Neck Audubon Society, Bill Portlock and Fred Atwood can't  
be  omitted. It
all goes to show that a concerted effort can bring results.

Not that we are out of the woods yet, I'm afraid. The original zoning  
for
Fones Cliffs remains, so the developer can still put some houses  
there. Whether
this will be done in a manner friendly to the Bald Eagles remains to  
be seen.
  There are two defenses. First, the county's Comprehensive Plan  
designates
the  area as a Conservation District. Let's see how that works out.  
Second,
there is  a federal law that should protect the Bald Eagle, even  
after it is
de-listed.  Whether this will prove useful depends largely on how the  
FWS
eventually defines  what 'disturb' really means. Their initial  
proposal has been found
by the  conservation community to be severely lacking, and alternative
proposals have  been put forward (including by the VSO). Because  
there is no
agreement as yet,  the formal de-listing itself has been postponed  
from February 16 to
June 29 'to  give scientists more time to conduct a thorough analysis
consistent with the  Endangered Species Act'. That must be seen as a  
positive step,
but we are  not "there" yet!  Continued vigilance is needed!

Thanks again to everyone who has helped out on this issue so far.

Stephen Eccles
Chair, VSO Conservation Committee

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