Forest Service suspends sale of fuelwood permits (NM & AZ, spotted owl reigns)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | September 26, 2019 | T. S. Last

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE, N.M. — The U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday that it was suspending fuelwood permits in all five national forests in New Mexico, as well as one in Arizona as the result of a court-ordered injunction having to do with protections for the Mexican spotted owl.

The owl is listed as a threatened species by both the U.S. and Mexican governments.

In addition, timber management activities have been suspended, according to a news release.

Southwestern Regional Forester Cal Joyner said that the agency is working to resolve the issue.

“Our staff is exhaustively exploring every possible option to come to a quick resolution so that we can continue to assist the communities we serve,” Joyner said in a statement.

The suspension is related to a federal court ruling in a case brought against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by WildEarth Guradians concerning protections for the Mexican spotted owl.

[CedarDave]

Many residents of New Mexico heat their homes at least partially with firewood. While less used in ABQ because of "no burn" nights, many rural residents use firewood as a fuel because natural gas is not always available and heating with propane and electricity is expensive. The court order and the environmentalists' focus on a bird at the expense of the health and comfort of the residents will not endear them to the population, many of whom are poor.

[CedarDave]

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[cherry]

also, clearing DEAD trees, which is what the fuelwood permits allow, decreases the chance for devastating and widespread forest fires.....

loose all the trees and you have erosion, higher temps, less protection for the animals and birds.....

[bboise]

Yes because it is better for the forests to burn up on all that downed fuel than for taxpayers to freely remove it..

[SolidRedState]

Let it live in Mexico!

[CedarDave]

A few years ago, the Fish and Wildlife Service was charged with killing barred owls in Northwest forests due to their taking over spotted owl habitat. The barred owls were not native but considered an invasive species as they migrated west along with the early American settlers. Also they are related to the spotted owls with the latter considered a sub-species by some researchers.

[CedarDave]

Yes, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[Ros42]

These enviros effectively shutdown Southwest Lumber Company in Flagstaff in the 90’s, putting 300 workers out of a job, all over this owl. ;-[

[billyboy15]

What the HELL are Mexican Spotted Owls doing in New Mexico and Arizona? Are they here legally?

[bgill]

There are millions of trees the owl can nest in.

[lurk]

So the deadwood burns the forest down, and the spotted owl is.....homeless.

Makes total sense.

[CedarDave]

It would be interesting to find out if this federal judge was appointed by Clinton or Obama.

[laplata]

You nailed it. As a kid in northern NM, I remember the pickups coming down loaded with firewood for winter. And usually there was a deer hidden in the wood.

The problem is that those who this will hurt most will never be told the true story of why.

[Rebelbase]

Judge Raner Collins. Clinton appointee.

[LegendHasIt]

And yet down here in the Lincoln National Forest, the ‘Forest Service’ is cutting and burning down trees by the millions. They actually want to get rid of most of the trees, to be replaced by grasses, wildflowers and cactus. They actually said so in community briefings during the last big fire a couple months ago.

[Hojczyk]

Most National Forrest are run like dictatorships...The Ranger in charge does what he wants...If he is lazy he allows nothing in his forest...

Some allow everything....In Southern Utah...they had Snowmobiling,motorized mountain bikes..four wheeling..

When I lived in Colorado one National Forest pretty much banned everything but hiking..nothing with a motor..

[cgbg]

They better not let those owls into the Northeast.

Seal the border!

[dljordan]

” The court order and the environmentalists’ focus on a bird at the expense of the health and comfort of the residents will not endear them to the population, many of whom are poor. “

But they’ll still vote Dem.

[bray]

They take the down trees to eliminate fuel loads which cause the high temps in today’s forest fires.

[eyeamok]

This is what happened in California, Raging Fires coming to a town near you soon.