The Spotted Owl, the Forests Products Industry and the Public Policy IntroductionA. The Spotted OwlB. Logging IndustryII. Conflicts of InterestA. Economic needs1.UnemploymentB. Preservation Needs1.Endangered Species Act2.Special Interest GroupsIII. ResolutionsA. Possible SolutionsB. Eventual Outcome1. Loss of Interesta. Other Species Demand Attention2. Migration3. RepopulationAbstractThe spotted owl was seen as a symbol of all things environmental during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The logging industry was well on its way to destroying most of the old growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. Environmentalists swarmed the area, sabotaging logging efforts and calling for strict limitations on logging in the region. The logging industry “successfully portrayed the animal as the reason for layoffs: "The connection with the spotted owl is jobs vs. environment."”(Brokaw, 1996).The spotted owl is an eighteen-inch tall bird-of-prey that roams the thick forests of the Pacific Norwest. The adult spotted owl enjoys a life at the top of the food chain for the region. This bird has only one enemy, the logging companies that inadvertently threaten its natural habitat. Clear-cutting operations of old growth forests destroy breeding and hunting areas. Clear-cut logging is the timber industry’s version of strip mining. Almost nothing remains that resembles the forest that once stood there except for thousands of tree stumps the size of Volkswagens. Although the bird is not a key player in the forest ecosystem, many environmental groups have made it a mascot for environmental causes everywhere. If the Spotted Owl were to become extinct, life would go on without it. Other birds of prey, not so dependent on old growth forests, would be able to take up the “slack” from the disappearance of this owl. Many people have wondered why this insignificant owl gets more press than the decimation of salmon ...
