Posted on 12/02/2003 7:54:57 AM PST by neverdem
Environmentalists, Native Americans and hikers collectively filed suit Monday to prevent New Jersey's first bear hunt in 33 years from taking place on the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The Delaware Water Gap is comprised of over 67,000 acres of protected park land, which houses more than 130 species of rare and endangered birds, mammals, and plants. The park makes up about 20 percent of the total area open to the state's bear hunt.
The coalition says bear hunting on protected park lands is in violation of federal environmental laws.
The hunt is scheduled for Dec. 8. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include: The Fund for Animals, The Center for Animal Protection, The Humane Society of the United States, and several individuals.
"Regardless of what happens on New Jersey's state lands, national parks are unique and require special attention," said Michael Markarian, president of The Fund for Animals.
"The National Park Service has thumbed its nose at federal law by allowing the trophy hunting of bears without studying the potential impacts to the environment, to the bear population, and to rare species such as bald eagles," Markarian said.
"Bears are not a public safety threat in New Jersey, but thousands of bear hunters in our woods are the real danger," said Sue Russell, policy director for the New Jersey-based Center for Animal Protection.
"What our state needs to solve bear/human conflicts is not to shoot bears at random for trophies, but rather to implement a progressive policy of aversive conditioning, authentic public education, and bear habitat preservation," said Russell.
A poll commissioned by several New Jersey wildlife organizations found 58 percent of registered New Jersey voters are opposed to the bear hunt, while 67 percent think the state should use non-lethal methods to reduce bear-related incidents instead of the hunt.
Sixty-eight percent of voters say Gov. James McGreevey broke his campaign promise to support a five-year ban on bear hunting.
"New Jersey voters will long remember Governor McGreevey turning his back on bears. If the governor won't stand by his word, we will ask the court to prevent the circumvention of our federal environmental laws," said Wayne Macelle, senior vice president for the Humane Society of the United States.
Last month, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation announced it plans to look into the merits of a lawsuit separate from the Delaware Water Gap issue. This lawsuit is against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to suspend all hunting, fishing and trapping.
Bud Pidgeon, president of the foundation, said the suit alleges that the state's Division of Fish and Wildlife has issued sporting licenses to convicted felons.
"To besmirch the reputation of sportsmen by linking us to felons is unconscionable," said Pidgeon. "Sportsmen are America's greatest conservationists, paying literally billions each year to fund fish and wildlife programs across the country."
Steve Ember, a plaintiff in the Delaware Water Gap suit and a prominent hike leader who has led hundreds of hikers into the park land, said, "Almost every hiker I've known has been thrilled to see black bears in New Jersey. The experience of observing wild bears ranks among the highest benefits of hiking. We don't want our bear population and our hiking experiences jeopardized."
"For many generations, the bear has lived in harmony with the Native Americans," said Santos Hawk's Blood, a plaintiff in the suit and a member of the Chiricahua Apache Nation and the Lone Warrior Society.
"The bear is our four-legged relative who gave us the knowledge to heal ourselves. That is why we call him brother. While our brother bear has tried to share the land, his home, with us, he is blamed any time he shares the crops or the property of the people. He is called a 'problem' even if human neglect, ignorance, or carelessness is really to blame," Hawk's Blood said.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.
Well, that's where you're wrong. It was a very good joke. And your attempts to come in here like a gigantic PC Wet Blanket haven't made it any less funny.
...I honestly don't know whether to laugh out loud or projectile vomit...
HairOfTheDog, I see your point in packaging a more "comprehensive" solution, but I'm also of the belief that we live in an era of media soundbites. There appears very little that we can do to make the hunting of Teddy BearsTM even remotely attractive to soccermoms and soccerdads via traditional methods.
HellInAHandcart, I'm in agreement with you that if we rebut any of their outrageous claims, we give them a degree of legitimacy and enable them to "recirculate" their false statements in the media. We cannot permit them to frame the debate. For example, we are compelled to call them on that ridiculous non-sequitur about the bald eagles relating to black bears.
Our success will be in reaching undecided people "on the fence" who may come to our side when they realize the absurdity of the environazi crowd. The fact-of-the-matter is that it can be downright dangerous to walk in the woods in certain sections of northwestern New Jersey.
Another interesting thing to note is the place of residence for all the people relating the "horror" of the hunt. Montclair, Short Hills, Colts Neck, Westfield, Bloomfield, Cranford, etc., etc. All the places where bears AREN'T around. These people wouldn't know whether to sh!t or go blind if they encountered a bear and had to deal with the situation mano-a-mano while hiking up at the Delaware Water Gap. One simple-minded story in the The Star-Ledger suggested bringing a large umbrella into the woods while hiking (to open and shut rapidly) to frighten any curious bears. Sheesh.
Regards,
~ Blue Jays ~
It truly is absurd. I used to live in Bloomfield and it's practically a suburb of Newark, for pete's sake. Montclair is next door to and upscale from Bloomfield and Short Hills is even worse. I live 2 towns over (which in this part of NJ translates to about 200 yards) from Westfield now and it is the same - upscale, unaffordable, highly populated suburbia. These towns are literally closer to the Bronx Zoo than to the natural bear population of NJ.
Point A is where the bears are. Point B is where the horrified residents are.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.