[SALEM, August 24] – Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission voted in favor of elevating the marbled murrelet, a small seabird, from threated to endangered on the Oregon Endangered Species list despite nearly 900 Oregonians who urged commissioners to reject the move. Commissioners also ignored advice from their own Fish and Wildlife staff, who advised against the uplisting, and data from federal agencies showing growth in the marbled murrelet population and habitat over the past two decades.
The decision is not sitting well with Oregonians across the state. Oregon Forests Forever, a statewide coalition of individuals, organizations and businesses who support active, sustainable management of Oregon’s forests, solicited reactions and responses to the decision. Many of them said they feared the listing would devastate local economies and communities and considered the decision in direct conflict with scientific data.
“If a species is to be listed as endangered, then there ought to be science to point to the need for such a designation,” said Woodburn resident Sherman Lackey. “If the science is ignored, the commission has abandoned their responsibly and violated the law. The commission needs to revisit their decision regarding the marbled murrelet and follow the science.”
“As a native-born Oregonian, I am against this policy on the marbled murrelet,” said Stayton resident Richard Ackerman. “The course of the commission is dead wrong when the science says they are thriving. Listing them will only cause irreparable harm to our forests and communities.”
None of the scientific data support an uplist decision for the small sea bird. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports within a 95% confidence interval that the population is rising by approximately 2.2% per year. Additionally, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have concluded all types and forms of murrelet habitat have been increasing since the listing of the species in the 1990s. ODFW biologists concluded the same in their analysis, stating “the amount of murrelet nesting habitat will likely continue to increase over time in Oregon.”
In response to the commission’s decision, Parkdale resident Jeffrey Snyder said, “This appears to be another political decision that is not based on science, but politics.”
Several responders to Oregon Forests Forever cited the listing of the northern spotted owl and the economic fall-out as reasons the commission should consider the impact a decision like this has on communities.
Florence resident said Lori Wangerin said, “The spotted owl cost my husband his job that he loved with the Forest Service. Don’t allow this to cost the jobs of other families.”
Wilsonville resident Karen Frey said, “Please don’t put more regulations on the timber industry again. The spotted owl decimated so many towns, communities and lives. Don’t do it again. The marbled murrelet should not be classified as endangered.”
In an all-day zoom meeting on July 9, the ODFW Commission received opposition testimony from several organizations, certified wildlife biologists and current and past elected officials who represent or represented constituencies who would be impacted by the decision, including Coos County Commissioner Johns Sweet, 1st district Oregon House Representative David Brock Smith (who represents all of Curry County and parts of Coos, Douglas, and Josephine counties) and former Tillamook County Commissioner and current ODFW Commissioner Mark Labhart.
The commission also received legal testimony from Kirk Maag, environmental and natural resources attorney at Stoel Rives LLP, who concluded “reclassification of the marbled murrelet as endangered would violate applicable laws” as none of the statutory requirements to reclassify the species have been met.
“It’s unconscionable that the commission has made a decision that flies in the face of reality and is an absolute slap in the face to decades of costly investments by rural Oregonians,” said Seth Barnes, Director of Forest Policy for the Oregon Forest and Industries Council. “The growing marbled murrelet population and habitat is a result of forest policy decisions that cost many Oregonians their livelihoods. Those Oregonians know, intimately, the short and long-term consequences of these decisions: first job loss and poverty followed by increasing fuel loads that lead to catastrophic wildfires, poor air quality, public health, and lost resources.”
Tillamook resident Ellie Hilger echoed Barnes’ concerns, stating she was shocked and very disappointed to hear of the commission’s decision. “Overlooking sound science will be devastating to my local economy. I am a teacher, and my husband is a forester on the Tillamook coast. Our community relies on timber as part of our economy. Why take that away from us? My husband and I have a little girl, and God willing, we wish to have more children. We can’t stay here if my husband doesn’t have a job to support our family.”
The seven-member commission is appointed by the Oregon Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate.
“Clearly the commission’s decision completely disregarded the professional recommendations of its own agency biologists. This sends a strong message that there’s a disconnect between what the science would seem to say and the politics of this issue,” said Kyle Williams, Director of Forest Protection for Oregon Forest and Industries Council. “Avoiding agenda driven management of Oregon’s fish and wildlife is critical, and this decision is another example of how important it is to have balanced representation from across the state. We strongly urge the Governor to consider this as she fills the long expired Congressional District 3 seat.”
Photo Credit: Thomas Hamer, Hamer Environmental L.P.
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The Oregon Forest & Industries Council is a trade association representing more than 50 Oregon forestland owners and forest products manufacturers. OFIC’s members combine sustainable forest management practices with the latest science and technology to continuously improve the environmental, social and economic value of healthy working forests. We protect and manage more than 5 million acres of Oregon forestlands, employ nearly 60,000 Oregonians, and make Oregon the nation’s largest state producer of softwood lumber and plywood. For more information, go to ofic.com.
Contact: Sara Duncan
Phone: 503-828-2373
Email: sara@ofic.com
