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Re: odds and ends



Something I haven't reported yet because the details were so sketchy was 
a possible merlin in my neighborhood in Wake Forest this week. I could 
have sworn but we all know how easy it is to make a kestrel into a merlin 
(though so difficult to make a merlin into a kestrel!).

Anyway, I was hoping if anyone could recommend good birding spots in/near 
Durham for lunch breaks, etc. This would be greatly appreciated!


The recent discussion of conservation: what should be worked on, how that 
should be done, etc has presented some very important and relevant ideas 
regarding conservation in this country. Here's my view:

- I agree with Frank that acquisition of land must be undertaken as 
quickly and efficiently as possible, but we also must remember that much 
land has already been acquired by the goverment but effort and biological 
inquiry must be undertaken to keep it preserved. I am referring to our 
National Forest and military installments, epecially those that are now 
defunct. I support the banning of logging on all government-held land,
especially our National Forests which are very important ecologically yet
provide only 5% of all annual logging! The "Roadless Initiative" is a 
start but we  need to actually ban exploitation, not just roadbuilding.
Farm Stewardship sounds like a good temporary solution but I would be
suspect of its long-term effectiveness.

- Not to mention: keep recycling! Who wants more mining? And we should
be using hemp or other non-tree means for paper production.

- Josh and Ellen bring up good points about "what should we be  preserving?" 
Along with many other "biologists" I see a land that has received influence 
from ancient and current environmental pressures including Native 
Americans, European Americans and our current, dominant European 
paradigm. With this in mind it is impossible to fix one's eyes on one 
natural American landscape. It is continuously changing and difficult to 
approximate, but what I can pull out of the mess is the need to preserve 
ecosystem function, as Josh alluded to. This means preserving the 
interactions of organisms, as can only occur in communities of many 
species. 

- As for funding of said endeavors, I support some of the taxation 
schemes proposed by Ralph Nader (Green Party pres candidate), especially
taxing things we don't like (pollution, pesticide use perhaps, 
roadbuilding, National Forest exploitation) and ease up on sources such as 
income which we do like. 

Regards,

Jason Sircely