Conditions for Overcollecting

Eric or Pat Metzler spruance at infinet.com
Tue Jan 4 22:16:13 EST 2000


I forgot to give the date of the Annual Meeting of The Ohio Lepidopterists.
It is Saturday, 15 January 2000.

Eric
Columbus OH

"Eric or Pat Metzler" <spruance at infinet.com> wrote in message
news:38715f07$0$1402 at news.voyager.net...
> Hi all,
>
> Some governmental agencies, especially the Ohio Division of Wildlife,
fully
> understand the related issues of habitat protection and collecting.  In
> fact, it is not against the law to collect state endangered species in
Ohio
> on non-protected lands.  The reason for this is that the Division of
> Wildlife wants to know about all populations of the endangered species,
> particularly those not yet recorded.  It also seeks to manage and protect
> the habitats that are home to the endangered species.  By making it legal
to
> collect these species on non-protected lands, they encourage us to seek
out
> new localities, rather than go back to the same old place over and over
> again.  No fun in getting endangered species always in the same place,
> especially when trampling habitats and other human intrusions are likely
to
> do as much damage as taking a few vouchers.
>
> Note that damage to endangered species comes from a variety of activities,
> not just taking individuals.  On some postage stamp sized sites in Ohio,
> trampling by observers and collectors IS habitat destruction, and is much
> more of a problem than taking any individuals.
>
> How did the Ohio Division of Wildlife come to recognize the need to
> encourage collecting of endangered species in new localities?  It took a
lot
> of hard work by the members of The Ohio Lepidopterists interacting with
the
> agency personnel and teaching those good folks about the facts of life for
> invertebrates, and to also have great respect for the tough job (and lack
of
> money) provided to the agencies to protect endangered animals.  The mutual
> respect and understanding did not come from disdain for the folks who
> legally control the destiny of our future access to these animals.
>
> Anyone can do it, but it isn't easy.  Tack, diplomacy, and an attitude
that
> "I do not have the right to collect anything anytime anywhere I want"
works
> wonders.  John Shuey, who also posted under this subject line, was an
active
> participant in convincing the Ohio's authorities to take such an enlighted
> approach.  It is clear from John's postings that he too has given this
great
> thought.
>
> I'm an active collector - I have no plans to give it up, but I have great
> respect for the rules and regulations.  When stumped, I take time to talk
to
> the regulators, and I try and change the rules.  It works.  Or if I cannot
> change the rules, I go someplace else.  But I always try to change the
> rules.
>
> Here's wishing the very best collecting season ever in the year 2000.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Eric Metzler
> Columbus OH USA
>
> PS:  You are all invited to the 21st Annual Meeting of The Ohio
> Lepidopterists at the Ohio State University Museum of Biological
Diversity,
> 1315 Kinnear Ave, Columbus OH 43212.  Doors open at 9:00 am and the
program
> starts at 1:00 pm.  A Friday night open house will welcome all persons who
> arrive the night before.  It is always a great event.  You'll be glad you
> attended.   Write me, spruance at infinet.com if you want more details.
>
>
>
> "John Grehan" <jrg13 at psu.edu> wrote in message
> news:3.0.1.16.20000103085700.4cef805a at email.psu.edu...
> > I wish to add my support to the comments by Mark Walker regarding
> > the problem of commercial collecting of proscribed species and
> > the reality of overcollecting. As both Mark and Niklas Wahlberg
> > point out, habitat issues represent a critical element of the survival
> > problem. I wonder if conservation related agencies find it so much
easier
> > to give the appearance of action by regulating collecting than actually
> > solving decimation or loss of habitat. If the US Fish and Wildlife
> Service,
> > for example, put as much effort into habitat as they appear to have with
> >  imposing the Lacy Act perhaps a lot of insects (and other organisms)
> > would have been a lot better off. The postings about habitat
requirements
> will
> > certainly provide a realistic context for evaluating collecting. In New
> > Zealand
> > there was an early (but fortunately abortive) effort to regulate all
> insect
> > collecting while habitats were being actively destroyed throughout the
> > country, often with government financing.
> >
> > I recently found that State regulations for a collecting permit were so
> > restrictive for general collecting that I had to return the permit -
> result
> > no collecting for me and nothing learned about the area in question
> > for the agency that developed the permit regulations.
> >
> > I admit some of the above comments are generalized and open to
> > critique.
> >
> > John Grehan
> >
>
>



More information about the Leps-l mailing list