Posted by:
CSRAJim
at Tue Mar 30 21:51:58 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by CSRAJim ]
Brad,
A year ago, I would have agreed with you but not anymore. My last experience with the TNC was when I was in college many years ago but, since then, my opinion has changed. I’m not asking you to agree with what I’m saying or post, I’m just posting information that I didn’t know even existed…And judging from you posts, you don't either.
>>That's outrageous-The Nature Conservancy is a friend to habitat, hunters and fisherman, and NOT an enemy to herpers. We should be concentrating our forces on our real enemies, the Animal Rights orgs. I for one will have no part of any witch hunt against TNC, and hopefully most reasonable herpers will agree.
No, it’s not “outrageous” at all, if you actually read those documents that I posted, you’d see that complying with the laws and regulations (IRS)of non-profits were not followed…Whatever slap on the wrist they got is a joke as they are STILL a 501(c)(3)…I wonder if the IRS would do the same to either you or me. Perhaps they're just too big to fail...Like Goldman Sachs...Which has ties to TNC (via their board and executive staff)...Go ahead and question this...
If you think they are our friend, in my opinion that is not the case. In addition to many other things that I've learned about what TNC does that I disagree with (the IRS/Senate investigation to name one of them), here are a few other.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a member of the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species (NECIS). Ever heard of it? The membership includes, among others, the Defenders of Wildlife (DOW), the National Wildlife Foundation (NWF), the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
As a “coalition”, they’ve testified before congress April 29, 2003… http://www.glu.org/sites/default/files/DC-testimony-4-28-03.pdf
As a “coalition”, they’ve issued position statements… http://www.icta.org/doc/NECIS - Position Statement, Ecological risks trade.pdf
As a “coalition”, they’ve issued a position statement on H.R.2811 and S.373 (note the names that appear at the bottom of the statement)… http://www.necis.net/files/joint-statement-on-h.r.-2811
As a “coalition”, they’ve published a “facts/myths” paper… http://www.necis.net/files/myths-vs-facts-on-hr-669.pdf
TNC has even signed their name to an “action plan” to the president regarding invasive species (I agree with a lot of this) but, the methods of operation of the action plan are the same as was it called for in H.R.669, H.R.2811 and S.373…Smoke screen to get the bills passed in some form? I wonder… http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/invasive_species/NECIS-brochure.pdf
Along with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the DOW, the NWF and the UCS, The Nature Conservancy put their name on this document in support of H.R.669… http://www.defendersofwildlife.org/resources/publications/policy_and_legislation/support_h.r._669.pdf
>>Oh, I have no doubt that locally in Florida they may be supporting giant snake eradication, as I'm sure they do a lot of other anti-invasive efforts. But, unlike our true enemies, they as an organization do not have a policy of going after the herp industry as a whole. And we need to keep it that way, by doing as our mothers told us and "not pick fights"..
“Unlike our true enemies, they as an organization do not have a policy of going after the herp industry as a whole”…I beg to differ Brad. They don’t publish it (I wonder why they’re quiet about it), but they surely sign their name to things that sound just like our “true enemies”…
>>The Nature Conservancy has done incalculable good for habitat protection and conservation throughout this country, and we could lose a lot of credibility by appearing to go after them. Sure, oppose them locally on the python issue in Florida, but let's be clear we're not opposing their overall mission.
You are correct, they most certainly are involved in Florida…And in many other states as well. When was the last time you actually read what they advocate on their website? http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/florida/science/
They serve on “committee” to advise policymakers at the state and federal level…
“Conservancy staff serves on state and federal advisory committees, and informs policy-makers with the latest and best scientific advice. National legislation that would affect the importation of non-native wildlife, especially reptiles such as south Florida’s highly-invasive Burmese python, is a hot topic today.”
They’re on the ground against invasive species…
“The Conservancy joins state and federal agencies and a variety of private and non-traditional groups in an on-the-ground battle against invasive species.”
They’re involved in CISMA’s…Eight of them in fact and co-chairs the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP)…A look at the map, and they’re involved in a lot of the state of Florida. http://www.floridainvasives.org/
“Many regional Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) have been established to share expertise and resources. The Conservancy is actively engaged in eight of these local partnerships. The Conservancy also co-chairs the Florida Invasive Species Partnership, a group of representatives from agencies and organizations, that advises and helps implement the work of the CISMAs”
And on their website above, you’ll find these articles of interest (note the dates of the articles)… http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/03/24/Congress-proposes-ban-on-snake-sales/UPI-98221269448518/ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/03/25/investopedia43095.DTL
Want to know how the boa/python list became nine? Want to know how S.373 is “better balanced and more likely to succeed” than H.R.669 was? And there’s that alligator/python picture again… http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/florida/science/gov_invasives.html
“The Conservancy then encouraged an amendment to a Senate bill, which until then only banned Burmese pythons. Now it includes all nine.”
“We’ve also commented on a House bill, HR 669, the Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act. We expect a companion to it to be introduced in the Senate in January. HR 669 may have been a bit too far-reaching; the new Senate bill is better balanced and more likely to succeed.”
And they include a food “pyramid” to boot…(note the source, Skip Snow, NPS) http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/florida/files/pyramid_of_python_menu_items.pdf
They’re in Arizona as well… http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/press/press2141.html
And finally, since 2008, TNC has been a member of the DOI’s “Invasive Species Advisory Council”... http://www.doi.gov/archive/news/08_News_Releases/080801a.html
Look man, you believe whatever you want...Not me, I’m posting factual stuff because I feel betrayed by an organization that I once believed in…Time for them to feel some heat.
Later, Jim. ----- CSRAJim
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