YellowSub1962
12-18-2001, 12:32 AM
This would have no doubt closed off tons of access for multiple use....
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RARE LYNX HAIRS FOUND IN FORESTS EXPOSED AS HOAX
Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
-----------------------------------------------------------
Federal and state wildlife biologists planted false evidence
of a rare cat species in two national forests, officials
told The Washington Times.
Had the deception not been discovered, the government likely
would have banned many forms of recreation and use of
natural resources in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and
Wenatchee National Forest in Washington state.
The previously unreported Forest Service investigation found
that the science of the habitat study had been skewed by
seven government officials: three Forest Service employees,
two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials and two
employees of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The officials planted three separate samples of Canadian
lynx hair on rubbing posts used to identify existence of the
creatures in the two national forests.
DNA testing of two of the samples matched that of a lynx
living inside an animal preserve. The third DNA sample
matched that of an escaped pet lynx being held in a federal
office until its owner retrieved it, federal officials said.
After the falsified samples were exposed by a Forest Service
colleague, the employees said they were not trying to
manipulate or expand the lynx habitat, but instead were
testing the lab's ability to identify the cat species
through DNA analysis, said Joel Holtrop, a Forest Service
official.
"Even if that is the case, it was inappropriate," Mr.
Holtrop said.
Forestry officials, conservationists and retired federal
officials said they were outraged that the data were
tampered with and said they are skeptical it was an attempt
to test the lab.
"I would find the evil-twin argument more plausible," said
Rob Gordon, executive director of the National Wilderness
Institute.
"That would be like bank robbers taking money from a bank
and saying they were just testing the security of a bank,
they weren't really stealing the money. That's beautiful,
but I don't think it will fly," Mr. Gordon said.
Retired Fish and Wildlife Service biologist James M. Beers
called the false sampling amazing but not surprising.
"I'm convinced that there is a lot of that going on for
so-called higher purposes," Mr. Beers said.
The employees have been counseled for their actions and
banned from participating in the three-year survey of the
lynx, listed as a threatened animal under the Endangered
Species Act. Federal officials would not name the offending
employees, citing privacy concerns.
The lynx listing and habitat study began in 1999 during the
Clinton administration and concludes this year. It was
criticized by Westerners as a political move to impose
restrictions on public lands.
Radical environmental groups felt the restrictions didn't go
far enough.
To protect the habitat of the felines, roads would have to
be closed to vehicles, and off-road vehicles, snowmobiles,
skis and snowshoes would have been banned. Livestock grazing
and tree thinning also would have been banned.
"It was rigged from the word go; it was full of bad biology
and bad politics," Mr. Beers said. "It gave them [the
federal government] carte blanche to go after ski resorts,
stop road building and go after ranchers and tree cutters."
When the Vail Ski Resort announced an expansion of trails
into possible lynx habitat, the radical animal-rights group
Earth Liberation Front (ELF) torched five buildings and four
ski lifts in protest. The Oct. 18, 1998, fire caused $12
million in damage and was the largest act of eco-terrorism
in the United States. No arrests were made, and the statute
of limitations expired in October.
This past summer, ELF planted spikes in hundreds of trees to
sabotage a timber sale and protect the lynx and spotted owls
in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest - one of the forests
where the false samples were planted.
This isn't the first time forestry officials have
encountered questionable studies to identify the presence of
lynx in the Northwest.
In 1999, a scientist hired by the federal government
submitted lynx hair samples supposedly found in the Oregon
Cascades, farther south than where the animals were thought
to exist, said Chris West, spokesman for the American Forest
Resource Council.
Federal officials spent thousands of hours and tens of
thousands of dollars trying to duplicate the finding but
found no evidence of the creatures.
The hairs were never validated, the samples were thrown out,
and the contractor was never paid, Mr. West said.
"These are cases of rogue biologists trying to influence
natural-resources policy," Mr. West said.
"There has clearly been some shenanigans going on here," he
said of the false sampling in Washington.
Forest Service officials say this year's errant sampling was
caught and therefore did not affect the integrity of the
sample survey.
"We have looked at it carefully and feel the overall
integrity of the sampling effort is in place, and the
ongoing results will have valid scientific and sound
results," said Heidi Valetkevitch, Forest Service
spokeswoman.
However, the incident has damaged the integrity of the
federal agencies within their own ranks and in the
communities they serve.
"It destroys the credibility of the hard work we are trying
to do to track these animals," said one retired Forest
Service employee.
Mr. Gordon said the false sampling aggravates an already
distrustful relationship between Westerners and the federal
government.
"This revelation makes all the projects these offices and
individuals were involved in suspect, and may merit review,"
Mr. Gordon said.
-----------------------------------------------------------
This article was mailed from The Washington Times
(http://www.washtimes.com/national/20011217-7117603.htm)
For more great articles, visit us at
http://www.washtimes.com
Copyright (c) 2001 News World Communications, Inc. All
rights reserved.
:usa:
-----------------------------------------------------------
RARE LYNX HAIRS FOUND IN FORESTS EXPOSED AS HOAX
Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
-----------------------------------------------------------
Federal and state wildlife biologists planted false evidence
of a rare cat species in two national forests, officials
told The Washington Times.
Had the deception not been discovered, the government likely
would have banned many forms of recreation and use of
natural resources in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and
Wenatchee National Forest in Washington state.
The previously unreported Forest Service investigation found
that the science of the habitat study had been skewed by
seven government officials: three Forest Service employees,
two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials and two
employees of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The officials planted three separate samples of Canadian
lynx hair on rubbing posts used to identify existence of the
creatures in the two national forests.
DNA testing of two of the samples matched that of a lynx
living inside an animal preserve. The third DNA sample
matched that of an escaped pet lynx being held in a federal
office until its owner retrieved it, federal officials said.
After the falsified samples were exposed by a Forest Service
colleague, the employees said they were not trying to
manipulate or expand the lynx habitat, but instead were
testing the lab's ability to identify the cat species
through DNA analysis, said Joel Holtrop, a Forest Service
official.
"Even if that is the case, it was inappropriate," Mr.
Holtrop said.
Forestry officials, conservationists and retired federal
officials said they were outraged that the data were
tampered with and said they are skeptical it was an attempt
to test the lab.
"I would find the evil-twin argument more plausible," said
Rob Gordon, executive director of the National Wilderness
Institute.
"That would be like bank robbers taking money from a bank
and saying they were just testing the security of a bank,
they weren't really stealing the money. That's beautiful,
but I don't think it will fly," Mr. Gordon said.
Retired Fish and Wildlife Service biologist James M. Beers
called the false sampling amazing but not surprising.
"I'm convinced that there is a lot of that going on for
so-called higher purposes," Mr. Beers said.
The employees have been counseled for their actions and
banned from participating in the three-year survey of the
lynx, listed as a threatened animal under the Endangered
Species Act. Federal officials would not name the offending
employees, citing privacy concerns.
The lynx listing and habitat study began in 1999 during the
Clinton administration and concludes this year. It was
criticized by Westerners as a political move to impose
restrictions on public lands.
Radical environmental groups felt the restrictions didn't go
far enough.
To protect the habitat of the felines, roads would have to
be closed to vehicles, and off-road vehicles, snowmobiles,
skis and snowshoes would have been banned. Livestock grazing
and tree thinning also would have been banned.
"It was rigged from the word go; it was full of bad biology
and bad politics," Mr. Beers said. "It gave them [the
federal government] carte blanche to go after ski resorts,
stop road building and go after ranchers and tree cutters."
When the Vail Ski Resort announced an expansion of trails
into possible lynx habitat, the radical animal-rights group
Earth Liberation Front (ELF) torched five buildings and four
ski lifts in protest. The Oct. 18, 1998, fire caused $12
million in damage and was the largest act of eco-terrorism
in the United States. No arrests were made, and the statute
of limitations expired in October.
This past summer, ELF planted spikes in hundreds of trees to
sabotage a timber sale and protect the lynx and spotted owls
in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest - one of the forests
where the false samples were planted.
This isn't the first time forestry officials have
encountered questionable studies to identify the presence of
lynx in the Northwest.
In 1999, a scientist hired by the federal government
submitted lynx hair samples supposedly found in the Oregon
Cascades, farther south than where the animals were thought
to exist, said Chris West, spokesman for the American Forest
Resource Council.
Federal officials spent thousands of hours and tens of
thousands of dollars trying to duplicate the finding but
found no evidence of the creatures.
The hairs were never validated, the samples were thrown out,
and the contractor was never paid, Mr. West said.
"These are cases of rogue biologists trying to influence
natural-resources policy," Mr. West said.
"There has clearly been some shenanigans going on here," he
said of the false sampling in Washington.
Forest Service officials say this year's errant sampling was
caught and therefore did not affect the integrity of the
sample survey.
"We have looked at it carefully and feel the overall
integrity of the sampling effort is in place, and the
ongoing results will have valid scientific and sound
results," said Heidi Valetkevitch, Forest Service
spokeswoman.
However, the incident has damaged the integrity of the
federal agencies within their own ranks and in the
communities they serve.
"It destroys the credibility of the hard work we are trying
to do to track these animals," said one retired Forest
Service employee.
Mr. Gordon said the false sampling aggravates an already
distrustful relationship between Westerners and the federal
government.
"This revelation makes all the projects these offices and
individuals were involved in suspect, and may merit review,"
Mr. Gordon said.
-----------------------------------------------------------
This article was mailed from The Washington Times
(http://www.washtimes.com/national/20011217-7117603.htm)
For more great articles, visit us at
http://www.washtimes.com
Copyright (c) 2001 News World Communications, Inc. All
rights reserved.
:usa: