Spotted Owls Revisited: Science vs. Politics

Spotted Owls and the Spotty Sciences that Spawned Them: 5 Questions

Bob Zybach wrote this article/editorial seven years ago and it has been republished in the Summer 2020, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Journal.

Read the full article here“Spotted Owls and the Spotty Sciences that Spawned Them: 5 Questions.”

Spotted Owls Revisited: Science vs. Politics Bob Zybach

Seven years ago I wrote an article/editorial for this magazine (OFWJ) exposing the lack of actual scientific justification for the draconian government actions imposed to “save” the spotted owl. The article was titled here“Spotted Owls and the Spotty Sciences that Spawned Them: 5 Questions.”

The modeled designation of “critical habitat” for spotted owls and marbled murrelets -- and the federally mandated “HCPs” (Habitat Conservation Plans) they produce -- has provided lucrative job security for a small number of anti-logging academics, environmental lawyers, agency employees, and government bureaucrats at an enormous cost to US taxpayers and to rural families, businesses, and communities. The scientifically predicted wildfires that have followed adoption of these arbitrary designations have also killed millions of wildlife and polluted our air and waters.

I expected to have to update the article, due to the passage of time. I didn’t have to. Nothing has changed. Every word I wrote seven years ago remains accurate today. Worse, there has been no discussion or serious consideration of these concerns...