[va-richmond-general] of Sample Letter to Gov. Kaine for a Va Endangered Species Day

A. Please write a letter to Governor Kaine to support a Virginia Endangered 
Species Day!
 
congress has declared May 16, National ES Day. Below is a sample letter.
 One in Five bird species worldwide are at risk NOW and the list is growing.
 
B. Celebrate National ES DAy with local events - plan your own habitat 
restoration, clean up, press release to media, educational program or outing. 
etc.
More info at stopextinction.org
 
 
 
Again - we expect a response in as short as two weeks on this. 1.Background for 
a Virginia "Endangered Species Day" Virginia is blessed with having a multitude 
of species within its borders. The Commonwealth’s boundaries engage portions of 
six major eco-regions, more than any other Eastern state. And southwest 
Virginia encompasses part of a major biological "Hot Spot", one of only six in 
the entire United States. Biodiversity in that region has many mussel, fresh 
water fish, and salamander species.And off our shores, are found many marine 
species both within the great Chesapeake Bay estuary, and in the Atlantic 
Ocean. In fact, the sea side of the Eastern Shore has been designated as a 
United Nations World Heritage Site, and lies in a portion of a proposed 
National Marine Sanctuary. However, our state’s human population is growing 
rapidly, and with this growth is coming an even more rapid loss of wildlife 
habitat. Our country was the first to enact an "Endangered Species Act" under 
the Nixon Presidency, in 1968 with strengthening in 1973. Since this federal 
statute was passed, we have learned key information about both the threats to 
species, and our reliance on species and biodiversity.  These worldwide threats 
can be placed in five categories: 1. Pollution, including pesticides and global 
warming gases, acid rain, and ozone depleting chemicals., 2. Invasive species, 
including here in Virginia, the snakehead fish, English Ivy, Avian flu virus, 
and Ailanthus, 3. The unsustainable overkilling of species hunted for human 
consumption, 4. Habitat fragmentation, making it difficult for species to find 
shelter, food, and mates, and most importantly, 5. Habitat loss. We have also 
found that mankind now expropriates about a third of what is called Net Primary 
Production. This means that we are now using a third of all organic matter 
created on earth each year, through the power of sunlight and photosynthesis. 
This requires a huge input of what we are called "Ecological Services", or the 
benefits to mankind from biodiversity. These services include natural flood 
control, de-toxification, and purification of soil, water, and air, controls on 
the populations of pests and pathogens, pollination of flowers and crops, 
maintenance of biodiversity, and natural climate regulation. Annual world 
ecological services are estimated to be worth many times our yearly production 
of goods and services. However, we are currently running up an ecological debt 
in these services, a debt which must be paid by our children, and subsequent 
generations. To erase this debt, we must be aware of our, "National Ecological 
Product" which must be positive in both the U.S. and the world, for sustainable 
human development to continue. With this background, our Congress has seen the 
vital importance to humankind in the Endangered Species Act, and has, for the 
last two years, designated a day in May, this year May 16 as National 
Endangered Species Day.    2. Richmond Audubon Society Statement  Worldwide, 
the IUCN endangered species listing indicates that one of every five species of 
birds is in danger of becoming extinct in the near term (within a matter of 
decades). In Virginia, we are particularly concerned with such species as the 
Cerulean Warbler, Piping Plover, Wilson’s Plover, Upland Sandpiper, Gull-Billed 
Tern, Henslow’s and Bachman’s Sparrows, Roseate Tern, Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, 
Peregrine Falcon, Red Knot, and the Bald Eagle. Also, most bird species in the 
U.S. are in decline. We are planning several projects around the May 18, 2008 
date, including:1. Removal of invasive plant species, and restoration of open 
prairie type habitat at Presquile, part of the James River National Wildlife 
Refuge, just south of Richmond on May 17,2. Educational materials and other 
public information about the importance of endangered species and of 
biodiversity in general for schools, media and the public.     3. Sample Letter 
 March     , 2008 Dear Governor of Virginia, the Honorable Tim Kaine, I am 
writing you to ask that you proclaim May 16, Virginia’s Endangered Species Day, 
a day which will coincide with the official United States Endangered Species 
Day, as proclaimed in law by Congress for the past two years. We hope that this 
will become a permanent federal and state Endangered Species Day.  The 
accompanying background statement explains the rationale for this proposal, and 
for the actions which we will take to make sure Virginia’s ESA day is 
successful in communicating with Virginians the importance, and indeed, 
essential need, for species and biodiversity protection. From the hurricane 
Hugo floods which impacted places like Honduras more severely because of 
deforestation, to Hurricane Katrina which impacted the Gulf coast more severely 
because of coastal habitat destruction, to issues like global warming, and the 
five problems for species mentioned in the enclosed statement, we citizens need 
to become more aware of the consequences of our actions which negatively impact 
the biosphere. Indeed, we must become vigilant in protecting Earth and all 
life, if our children are to dwell on a planet which can sustain them.We also 
would encourage the Commonwealth to also participate in this educational 
process. Let me conclude with a few thoughtful quotes: "The evolution of the 
world is a great manifestation of God. As scientists understand more and more 
about the interdependence not only of living things but of rocks, rivers, - the 
whole of the universe - I am left in awe that I too, am part of this tremendous 
miracle." - Bishop Desmond Tutu, ca. 2000. "A child’s world is fresh and new 
and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. ...If I had influence with the 
good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I 
should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so 
indestructible that it would last throughout life..." Rachael Carson ca. 1960. 
"Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he 
does to the web, he does to himself." Chief Seattle, ca. 1900, (One translation 
of his famous speech.). Thank you for your time, Sincerely,   [End of sample 
letter] Here is my info:
John M. Roberts 804  329-6879 
3205 A Chamberlayne Ave. 
Richmond Va 23227-4806 
fax 200-1428 ( separate location 2 miles away) 

For general information: I only check e mail once a week at best. Please 
telephone me for fastest responses.

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