Comments on: Burrowing Owls Evicted In Dubious Tumbleweed Scheme

By: JournOwl » California’s Burrowing Owl Stronghold Witnesses Stunning Decline

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 17:23:37 +0000

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By: Amber Coakley

Amber Coakley — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:24:57 +0000

Excellent! I look forward to hearing how this goes. I will help however I am able.
Amber Coakley´s last blog ..Beetle Collection for Inaugural Edition of “An Inordinate Fondness”

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:20:58 +0000

Hi Amber,

You are correct in that this is not the only situation. I have been alerted to a few other local project sites that may be on the verge of an eviction. The problem is that DFG management (director level) are more involved in the politics than in the conservation…and species suffer.

Catherine and I are headed to the CA state Assembly tomorrow to have a meeting with legislators and discuss the very things you mention. I’ll let you know how it goes.

By: Amber Coakley

Amber Coakley — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:13:02 +0000

Sounds like you’ve covered all of the bases. I (belatedly) returned Catherine Portman’s call over the weekend, but missed her. How expensive could it be for the state of CA to adopt an active relocation approach? Could any costs be offset my commitments from non-profit organizations (who could utilize volunteers)? See where I’m going with this? Maybe too late for these particular owls, but I fear that this situation is just one of what will be many…
Amber Coakley´s last blog ..Beetle Collection for Inaugural Edition of “An Inordinate Fondness”

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:05:42 +0000

You said it! I actually said those bleeps outloud while sitting alone in my hotel room in Germany. Needless to say I was bent out of shape all week and I fired off numerous emails trying to get immediate action and protection. I am glad my wife was able to keep some tabs on the situation while I was out that week. The situation gets more incredible as time goes on.

I actually did write a letter because of these events and copied media, DFG Directors, Attorney General, Governor, etc. No response from DFG but I did get calls from the media. I was told to expect a reply from the lead Attorney at the AG’s office this week…apparently just returned from vacation. I’ll keep my finger’s crossed and will still keep the fight going.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:01:18 +0000

I reported the details directly to the senior environmental scientist and Game Warden that issued the cease and desist to Monk & Associates. I happened to just arrive in Germany when I received the news about the tumbleweed eviction and was left speechless. Even after several emails that week, I did not receive a reply until I returned to the States. And yet the reply contained no useful information as to who allowed these activities to persist (i.e. DFG) or if they were done by the consultant/developer alone. Let’s just say I have some suspicions that it was all of them.

By the way, I have yet to receive a response or acknowledgement to any letters/emails I sent to DFG management…silence speaks a thousand words as does their lack of action.

By: jason

jason — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:03:47 +0000

I hope you reported this to the news and CDFG and everyone you can think of, Scott. It’s preposterous and pathetic–yet somewhere deep inside me it’s not a surprise. Horrible, yes, but not unexpected. Which says something terrible about people in general…

By: Amber Coakley

Amber Coakley — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:07:41 +0000

I don’t even know what to say. Only “bleep” words come to mind. I may write another letter – this cannot continue!
Amber Coakley´s last blog ..Before the Snow, There Was Rain