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NFC: Fw: DENLINES Issue #1






Dear Friend of Wildlife: 

Thanks for being one of more than 125,000 caring individuals who have
responded to our recent requests by sending an e-mail to key officials
to save wolves, other endangered species and America's special places.
Many of you have asked for updates. We developed this bi-weekly 
e-mail newsletter to keep you informed about important 
developments. Feel free to send it to your interested friends and 
colleagues. Defenders welcomes your review of our efforts 
to save wildlife and special places. Visit our website at 
http://www.defenders.org .

If you don't care to receive this free publication, there are 
instructions on how to unsubscribe at the bottom of this e-mail
message. Again, our thanks for helping to save wild things and 
wild places for future generations. We hope you will continue to 
support these efforts.
 
Rodger Schlickeisen 
President, Defenders of Wildlife 
==================================

DENLINES Issue #1 
Defenders Environmental Network (DEN) 
October 15, 1999 

1.      WOLVES: Farm Bureau Receives 100,000 E-mails Supporting Wolves
2.      ALASKA: State Legislature To Reinstate Airborne Wolf Control 
3.      CONGRESS: House and Senate Continue Sneak Attacks on Environment
4.      HABITAT: Congress May Increase Conservation Funding 
5.      WOLVES II:Yellowstone Welcomes Wolf Pups 
6.      DID YOU KNOW?: Polar Bears 
7.      THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Imperiled Swift Fox Reintroduction 

========================================================================

1.  WOLVES: Farm Bureau Receives 100,000 E-mails Supporting Wolves 

The results are in! In a dramatic display of public support for wolf
restoration, concerned citizens sent 100,000 e-mail messages to Farm
Bureau President Dean Kleckner protesting that group's law suit
threatening recovery of endangered gray wolves to the Northern Rockies.
The Farm  Bureau's lawsuit would force the "removal" of wolves from
Yellowstone National Park and central  Idaho. "Removal," however, 
would mean a death sentence for these endangered wolves as there is 
no place else for these magnificent animals to go.  

Defenders of Wildlife will fight for the wolves all the way to the
Supreme Court, if necessary. On July 29, Brian O Neill, litigating the 
case for Defenders, gave a persuasive oral argument in front of a 
packed Denver courthouse. O'Neill argued convincingly for keeping 
wolves in Yellowstone. A decision by the three appeals court judges is 
expected soon, but Defenders remains optimistic about the fate of the 
wolves. Stay tuned for further news. 

Click Here for more: http://www.defenders.org/den/dl00001.html#wolves

2.  ALASKA: Alaska Legislature Re-Authorize Airborne Wolf Control 

Alaska lawmakers voted by a single vote to ignore the Alaskan citizens
and their Governor and repeal a key element of a 1996 citizen-enacted
initiative which banned airborne wolf shooting in Alaska. On September
24 during a special session, the state legislature overrode a veto by
Alaska's Governor Tony Knowles and enacted controversial legislation
(SB74) which would expand the circumstances under which state officials
could use aircraft for wolf control. 

An Alaska-based coalition, including Defenders of Wildlife, has worked
hard to mobilize Alaska citizens and other concerned individuals to
defeat the effort to overturn the Governor's veto. Coalition efforts
included a targeted state media campaign, grassroots action, and direct
appeals to specific swing votes to sustain Governor Knowles' veto.
While losing by a single vote is a great disappointment, the coalition 
was able to defeat legislative efforts to repeal the entire initiative 
and allow private citizens to hunt wolves with aircraft.  

Click here for more: http://www.defenders.org/den/dl00001.html#alaska

3.  CONGRESS: House and Senate Continues Sneak Attacks on Environment 

Special interests and their allies in Congress are mounting a sneak
attack on our nation's environmental laws. At issue are legislative 
provisions that would prevent long-waited recovery of  threatened 
grizzly bears in Montana and Idaho, preserve subsidies for big oil 
companies, and allow mining companies to dump more toxic waste on 
federal lands. More than 50 such controversial "riders" that have 
been buried in must-pass government spending bills. Each year, Congress 
must pass spending bills by September 30 for the next fiscal year or 
risk a government shutdown. In recent years, powerful special interests 
have used these backdoor attacks on the environment using these budget
bills. Through this strategy, they avoid the public scrutiny that 
accompanies congressional hearings, committee approval, and subject 
specific votes in the House and Senate. 

Conservation organizations are working hard to expose through the 
media this sneak attack on our environmental laws, and to persuade the
President to veto any spending  bills containing anti-environmental 
riders. For a list of all anti-environmental riders currently attached
to spending bills visit Defenders web site at 
http://www.defenders.org/riders/riders.html .

4.  HABITAT: Congress May Increase Conservation Funding  

Right now, Congress and President Clinton are weighing landmark
conservation legislation that could save America's most valuable but 
unprotected ancient forests, wildlife habitat and other natural and 
historic resources. For the past several decades, more than $12 
billion has been legally set aside in federal revenue from offshore 
oil drilling to permanently protect these national treasures through 
the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). But special interests 
have blocked spending the money on its legally mandated conservation 
purpose.

Earlier this month, 12 conservation organizations, including Defenders
released a report, entitled "Saving America's Geography of Hope: Why
Congress Must Protect Our Land & Ocean Legacy." The timely publication
takes an in-depth look at the different legislative proposals to 
protect our remaining natural areas. It also profiles 43 special places
in 19 states which are in immediate need of help and how they would be
protected if a strong conservation funding bill were enacted. The 
report is available online at http://www.pirg.org/enviro/hope.html . 

Click here for more: http://www.defenders.org/den/dl00001.html#habitat

5.  WOLVES II: Yellowstone Welcomes Wolf Pups 

As many as 57 new pups have joined the ranks of the recovering wolf
population in and around  Yellowstone National Park. The first wolves
were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in
January of 1995. Since then, from an initial population of 66 wolves - 
35 released in Idaho and 31 released in Yellowstone – the population 
today stands at nearly 340 wolves (including the new pups). The 
Northern Rockies wolf recovery program is the most successful of its 
kind. For more information on the Yellowstone wolves visit our website
at http://www.defenders.org/ynp.html .

6.  DID YOU KNOW?: Polar Bears 

The polar bear's pure white to cream color blends in perfectly with 
its snow and ice covered surroundings in the high Arctic. Well, almost
perfectly. The black nose of a polar bear can be seen from six miles
away through binoculars on a clear day. When stalking seals the polar
bear has been known to cover its nose with a paw to keep from being 
seen. (Source: Wildlife Fact File) 

7   THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Imperiled Swift Fox Reintroduction 
         
"It is very encouraging to know that these small creatures will once
again be a part of Montana's diverse natural heritage, as they roam 
the prairies where they belong. The recovery of rare species nationwide
will depend on innovative partnerships such as this."  

     - Defenders President Rodger Schlickeisen on a recent Defenders of
     reintroduction of 15 imperiled swift foxes to the Blackfeet Indian 
     Reservation in northwestern Montana. 

For more information click here: http://www.defenders.org/pr082999.html 

==================================================================== 
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==================================================================== 
DENLINES is a publication of Defenders of Wildlife, a leading national 
conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most 
progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. Known for its 
effective leadership on endangered species issues, particularly 
predators like brown bears and gray wolves. Defenders also advocates 
new approaches to wildlife conservation that protect species before 
they become endangered. Founded in 1947, Defenders is a nonprofit 
501(c)(3) organization with more than 360,000 members and supporters.

                      Defenders of Wildlife
                  1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 1400
                      Washington, DC 20005