First off, I believe the alternate website(boo) is the appropriate forum
for this weighty question. As a pre-teen I heard then Finley NWR biologist Fred
Zeilemaker refer to ODF&W as a "consumer oriented" institution. At the time (ca
1973) ODF&W was divesting itself of Camas Swale in Lane Co .. This was
excellent wildlife habitat, but wasn't providing the sort of hunting
opportunities to be found at Fern Ridge WMU. We birders are consumers, but in
the eyes of ODF&W, freeloaders. The minute we contribute to their revenue
stream ODF&W would presumably be more responsive.
How much money would be raised if a quarter of a penny tax on gasoline
was levied for ODF&W? Roads destroy lots of wildlife habitat, diminish the
value of much more. Cars kill lots of wildlife. Of course a host of jackass
polticians will hoot and toot no matter how miniscule the tax. And I realize
that socializing the funding does not really give birders a special vote. One
need only visit Fern Ridge or Sauvie Island WMU once to see how much good ODF&W
has done for the birding community. We are at a tipping point in our society's
evolution. Hunting and fishing are dying out while birding and related
activities are growing rapidly. LarsPOST: Send your post to obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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