The State Fish and Game Commission has
now listed the coho as endangered from San Francisco to Punta Gorda in Humboldt
County. Salmon from Punta Gorda to Oregon were listed as “threatened.” As in the
past, the listing was opposed by the timber industry, which threatened loss of
jobs, and by the Farm Bureau.
Local coho south of San Francisco (including those in Santa Cruz and Monterey
Counties) were listed as “endangered” by the state in 1995. By 1998 a draft recovery
plan had been written, but was never implemented. Today, the once abundant fish
is virtually extinct south of San Francisco.
Will this new listing be just empty words on paper, or will meaningful actions
be taken to ensure preservation of habitat? The recent mass salmon kill on the
Klamath (at least 35,000 fish) and the kills on the Scott and Shasta Rivers last
summer casts doubt on the will of State and Federal Agencies to implement protections
for our disappearing wild salmon.
American Rivers, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Smart Growth America
have joined together to produce a new report which links paving over wetlands
and forests and other open space with depleting water supplies.
New washer standards
Starting in 2007
residential washing machines sold in California will have to be as water efficient
as commercial washers. That means they’ll most likely be the front-loading types
featured in the last issue of the Ventana. Maybe we’re beginning to wake up to
the question for the future, “Got water?”
New Super for Yosemite
A new superintendent will assume duties in Yosemite this December. Mike Tollefson
is being transferred to Yosemite after two years as superintendent at Great Smokies
National Park. Previously, Tollefson had served as superintendent of Sequoia and
Kings Canyon National Parks where he supervised the restoration of the Giant Forest
area.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]