Ivory-billed woodpecker, cypress logging, Corps of Engineers, & Vitter provision

Keyword analysis shows that the People Get Ready is getting a lot of hits on these issues.

Many hits are from the D.C. area. Could this be because NPR researchers were using People Get Ready for background on the battle between loggers and environmentalists in Louisiana? Whatever the case, I'm pleased that the issue is now getting the national exposure it merits.

The full Senate still hasn't taken action on the Water Resources Development Act of 2005 (S.728). The last action was:

4/26/2005:
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 93.

For readers interested in these issues who aren't from NPR, or don't listen to NPR, but found they're way here anyway, I'd like to steer you to the NPR reports on this issue:

Battle Brews over Louisiana's Cypress Trees, Morning Edition, 5/26/2005

Unlikely Ally in Fight to Save La.'s Cypress Trees, Morning Edition, 5/27/2005

NPR didn't pick up the connection between saving wetland forests and saving the ivory-billed woodpecker, but there's more on that in my previous posts on the Vitter provision:

Vitter to kill ivory-billed woodpecker once and for all

Update on Vitter provision that will endanger the ivory-billed woodpecker's habitat

The timely Louisiana Governor's Science Working Group study definitively states that wetland forests are in danger of irreversible loss if logging is allowed:

New study emphasizes wetland forest preservation

If you want to take action to save wetland forests, these organizations have taken up the issue:

The Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club

The Gulf Restoration Network

Finally, Senator Vitter is right about one thing. The law needs to be much more clear about whether logging should, or should not, be permitted in wetland forests. Even if the Vitter provision is axed from the WRDA bill, more action should be taken to protect wetland forest habitat. One solution would be a moratorium on any logging in wetland forests.