(Fwd) TWW and Marketplace
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Thu, 19 Feb 1998 19:19:06 -0500
This is an intriguing message I just received from Paul Baicich, one
I wanted to share with the rest of you. I have appended my note to
NPR's Marketplace as a sample, along with those Paul provided.
Norm
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 12:20:37 -0700
From: "Paul J. Baicich" <baicich@aba.org>
Subject: TWW and Marketplace
On the night before last, a popular national radio show, Marketplace
(it's either an NPR show or a PRI show, I can never remember which),
ran a story on Teaming with Wildlife. As you may know, Marketplace is
a half-hour radio show devoted to business news. It often runs in
conjunction with All Things Considered (NPR) in the evenings.
They interviewed Gary Skiba with the Colorado Division of Wildlife
(DOW) about the problems facing wildlife. They also had a statement
from Rob Lewis,President of Madden Mountaineering (backpack
manufacturer, and official supporter of TWW) about how he believes
industry should give something back to the outdoors. There also were
negative statements made by the American Hiking Society and the
American Whitewater Assn. (not surprisingly, both have strong industry
ties).
At the end of the piece they asked people to call and write in about
"How would you feel about paying a special tax on outdoor goods to
protect the wilderness?"
I know that Greg Butcher (ABA) called yesterday, the National Wildlife
Federation put a notice on this action on their web site, Alan Wentz
at Ducks Unlimited sent out an e-mail on ehalf of their 750,000+
members, and the IAFWA sent out an allert to key contacts.
This is a great opportunity for us to call or e-mail in the next few
days: telephone: (213) 514-1505 (If you call, they may use your piece
actually on the air. Go for it!) For email: letters@marketplace.org
(Please remember to include your name, address, and phone number.)
I'm sure you already realize this, but if you could emphasize BIRD
themes, it would be ideal. The NEED (e.g., studies, monitoring, PIF,
research, atlases, education) and the MEANS (a very modest tax, lower
than that already paid by hunters and anglers) can be a focus.
Thanks!!!
Paul
P.S. If you already received a notice on this effort, my apologies.
A number of folks sent out these notices yesterday and today, and you
may have gotten one twice! P. P. S. If you do send an e-mail, please
send me a copy; I'll pass it on.
=====================================================================
Here's the note I sent as representative of the MOS on the MD TWW
Coalition:
Dear Sirs:
In response to your Feb 17th radio spot on Teaming With Wildlife
(TWW), the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) and its 16 Chapters
around the State strongly support TWW, which proposes a tax on outdoor
goods to protect the wilderness.
The MOS is proud to be a part of an historic coalition in Maryland, a
group of people comprising anglers, hunters, birders, hikers, animal
rights activists, and other outdoor enthusiasts. The MD Coalition for
TWW is a group with many strong philosophical and political
differences but with one abiding love that has allowed them to put
aside those differences--their love of the outdoors and the animals
and plants that populate that outdoors.
The MD Coalition is now made up of more than 80 organizations and
businesses from every corner of the state. The number of sponsors
continues to grow each month as the word gets out that the TWW will
afford us the funding needed to begin to protect and enhance wildlife
habitat rapidly disappearing throughout the State.
Sincerely,
Norman C. Saunders
Vice-President, Maryland Ornithological Society
Editor, The Maryland Yellowthroat
Member, MD Coalition for TWW
1261 Cavendish Drive
Colesville, MD 20905-7030
301-989-9035
osprey@ari.net
===================================================================
Following are other samples provided by Paul Baicich:
>From: ziskin@eosdata.gsfc.nasa.gov (Dan Ziskin)
>Subject: Teaming With Wildlife
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:24:34 -0500
>Cc: nedelson@sso.org, ziskin@eosdata.gsfc.nasa.gov (Dan Ziskin)
>Content-Length: 883
>
>Hello Market Place,
>
>Teaming With Wildlife: YES!
>
>Let the users of the natural world pay to protect it.
>
>And while we're at it, let the profiteers of the natural
>world (e.g. irresponsible mining and logging interests) pay
>to restore what is destroyed.
>
>I am a fan of your show but, I value environmental quality
>above a bull market. I wonder how different your program
>would be if you also reported the number of trees cut down
>as well as the number of stocks traded each day.
>
>Sincerely,
>Daniel Ziskin, Ph.D.
>
>I live in Silver Spring, MD.
>
>*************************************************
>Daniel Ziskin Goddard DAAC w) 301-614-5264
>NASA/GSFC code 902.2 ziskin@daac.gsfc.nasa.gov FAX 301-614-5268
>Greenbelt MD 20771 h) 301-585-5377
>
>Get your free Earth Science data at the DAAC - http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------ -----------------------------------
>>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:30:58 -0500
>>To: letters@marketplace.org
>>From: doherty@grove.ufl.edu
>>
>>
>>To Whom it May Concern:
>>
>>Regarding the NPR Marketplace story on Teaming with Wildlife, I wish to
>express my support of TWW. Industry should give something back to the
>outdoors. Paying a special tax on outdoor goods to protect wilderness is an
>appropriate user fee. It shows concern and support from the recreation
>industry whose sales directly impact our natural resources. The revenue
>generated will benefit wildlife and wildnerness areas that are not
>adequately represented by individual government entities, be it local,
>state, national, or international.
>>
>>As an environmental scientist and educator, I regard responsible and
>exemplary action as obligations part and parcel with protected rights,
>including market freedoms. Public opinion backs this initiative -- so too
>should business.
>>
>>Thankyou,
>>
>>
>>
>Steven Doherty
>Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences
>Center for Wetlands
>PO Box 116350
>University of Florida
>Gainesville, FL 32611
>
>doherty@grove.ufl.edu
>office: BLK 423-A
>352-846-2269 office, or
>352-392-2424 Center for Wetlands
>352-392-3624 fax
>352-373-0586 home
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------ -------------------------------------
>>
>>From: Pils, Charles M
>>Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 1998 10:12 AM
>>To: 'letters@marketplace.org'
>>Subject: support of TWW-Marketplace
>>
>>
>>In response to your feb 17th radio spot on Teaming With Wildlife (TWW), The
>>Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources strongly supports TWW, which
>>proposes a tax on outdoor goods to protect the wilderness.
>>
>>As of today, The WI DNR has the signed support of 2,600 organizations
>>throughout the U.S., including 40 different organizations in Wisconsin such
>>as Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, WI Audubon Council, WI State Trails
>>Council, Hartje Farm Home and Tire, and The WI Outdoor Communications
>>Association, and Women in Natural Resources.
>>
>>This list is growing day by day.
>>
>>TWW offers the opportunity to create a STABLE source of funding for many
>>projects that will benefits rare land types, rare fish, and rare wildlife
>>of Wisconsin and every state. This is a critical need for all states.
>>
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------ ---------------------------
>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 98 16:01 EST
>From: Lowell_W_ADAMS@umail.umd.edu (la3)
>Subject: teaming with wildlife
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>
>I very much support tww. The proposed funding mechanism is fair and there is
>a demonstrated need for the conservation programs that tww would support.
>
>Lowell Adams
>***************************************************
>Dr. Lowell W. ADAMS, Nat. Resour. Mgmt. Program, Biol. Resour. Eng. Dept.,
>University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA (Ph:301-405-1178;
>Fax:301-314-9023; E-mail:la3@umail.umd.edu)
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------ ----------------------------
>Date: Wed, 17 Feb 98 21:01 EST
>From: baicich@aba.org
>Subject: teaming with wildlife
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>
>
17 Feb 98
>
>Dear Marketplace --
>
>Hunters have paid an excise tax for over sixty years; anglers have paid for
over forty; it's time >to get other outdoors-oriented people to
kick-in, but this time for NON-GAME wildlife. The >Teaming With
Wildlife strategy is a pay-as-you-go proposal that will take care of a
tremendous >need in the wildlife area. As a dedicated birder I
certainly would be willing to pay a little extra >for my binoculars,
field guides, birdseed, and camping gear if I knew the money went to a
>dedicated fund for my area of interest.
>
>If our members of Congress were smart, they would realize that this Teaming
WIth Wildlife >idea is a way to solve the "Endangered Species
Problem".... by taking care of species >BEFORE they ever get put on
any Endangered Species List!
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Paul J. Baicich
>7607 Latham Ave.
>Fort Washington, MD 20744
> 301/567-6681
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------ ----------------------------------------
>X-Sender: gregb@pop.iex.net (Unverified)
>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 15:41:27 -0700
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>From: Greg Butcher <gregb@aba.org>
>Subject: special tax on outdoor products
>Cc: nedelson@sso.org
>
>Dear Marketplace, I just called the listener line with regard to Teaming
>With Wildlife, the user fee that is to be paid by outdoors enthusiasts who
>enjoy wildlife and that is to go to state wildlife agencies to support
>wildlife conservation, education, and recreation. I think that a lot of
>birdwatchers are willing to support this fee because they are concerned
>about bird populations and want state agencies to have some money to be able
>to support habitat required by birds. The state wildlife agencies can take
>preventive measures for wildlife before species become endangered or
>threatened. Today, hunters and anglers already pay a user fee, and state
>wildlife agencies are able to do a lot for game species, species that are
>hunted or fished. If Teaming With Wildlife passes, they will also be able
>to do a lot for nongame species. Both the American Birding Association and
>ABA Sales have endorsed the concept of Teaming With Wildlife. -- Greg
>Butcher, Executive Director, American Birding Association, and President,
>ABA Sales
>Greg Butcher, American Birding Association
>gregb@ aba.org
>"Check out our web site: http://www.americanbirding.org
>ABA Sales now on the web! Buy your birding needs online."
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------ ---------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 19:06:53 -0600 (CST)
>X-Sender: twojays@bucky.win.bright.net
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>From: twojays@win.bright.net (Jim and Jude Williams)
>Subject: Teaming with Wildlife
>
>Good evening.
>I strongly support Teaming with Wildlife. It's about time users become
>payers. There will be no future for wildife in this country - and I
>particularly think of the many problems facing birds in North America - if
>those of us who enjoy wildlife and the outdoors don't stand up and support
>programs that can really make a difference. Teaming is the best idea in
>generations to offer broad support to programs that will make enormous
>difference in dozens of ways. The extra cost to the consumer is so small it
>won't be noticed, but the cumulative result will be huge. Teaming is a
>political issue with me. I'll be watching my Congressmen to see who
>understands and who doesn't.
>Jim Williams
>715/349.5531
>5230 Cranberry Lane, Webster, Wisconsin 54893
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
>Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 16:16:50 -0500
>From: Jane Fitzgerald <FITZGJ@mail.conservation.state.mo.us>
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>Subject: Teaming With Wildlife
>Content-Disposition: inline
>
>Dear Marketplace,
>
>I am writing in support of the Teaming With Wildlife Initiative. I work with a
>non-game bird conservation program called Partners in Flight, a volunteer
>effort among state and federal agencies, non-governmental
>organizations, representatives of timber products and other natural
>resource industries, academia, private citizens, etc. We are in the
>process of developing science-based Bird Conservation Plans for the
>United States. We have plenty of entities willing to cooperate, but no
>dedicated funds to help with on the ground implementation of the plans.
>Thus, TWW would be a huge boon to the effort to recover species of
>songbirds that have been declining for the last 30 years, and to "keep
>common birds common". It is much less expensive to be proactive with
>conservation than to wait until species become Threatened or
>Endangered.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Jane A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
>Midwest Regional Coordinator, Partners in Flight
>1601 Caniff Circle
>Columbia, MO 65201
>573-449-6373
>
>
>
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--------
>
>----------------------
>
>Subject: Reply to query about wilderness tax
>Sent: 2/19/98 10:31 AM
>To: letters@marketplace.org
>
>I support paying a small tax on outdoor goods to help preserve
>wilderness, especially to set aside land as habitat for endangered
>species and ecosystems. Companies with a focus on outdoor activities
>like REI that currently oppose such a plan should realize that their
>market depends on us not exploiting the places that require all the great
>stuff they sell. At a time when the US Forest Service can't even decide
>to stop cutting old growth forests we need to try alternative measures
>now that can provide real resources for habitat preservation. What's a
>few more cents added to the price of some power bars or a gore-tex
>anorak?
>
>Eric Gravley
>Washington, DC
>
>