July 2, 2012 — The State of Oregon has suspended operations on 10 timber sales in marbled murrelet habitat one month after Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Audubon Society of Portland filed a lawsuit alleging the state’s logging practices in the Tillamook, Clatsop, and Elliott State Forests are illegally “taking” the imperiled seabird in violation of the Endangered Species Act. To prevent additional murrelet habitat from being lost while the case works its way through the court system, the conservation groups filed an injunction request in federal court to halt sales and logging in the occupied murrelet habitat pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
Cascadia Sues to Protect Seabird
May 31, 2012 — Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Audubon Society of Portland filed a lawsuit today in federal court charging that the State of Oregon’s clearcutting practices illegally harm threatened marbled murrelets within the Tillamook, Clatsop and Elliott state forests in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The conservation organizations are calling on Gov. John Kitzhaber to develop a plan for state forests that will adequately protect the rare seabirds that spend most of their lives on the ocean but come inland to nest and breed in mature and old-growth forests.
Lawsuit Launched to Protect Threatened Marbled Murrelet from Clearcutting in Oregon State Forests
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2012
PORTLAND, OR.— Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity and Audubon Society of Portland filed a notice of intent to sue the state of Oregon today over harmful clearcutting practices on the Elliott, Tillamook and Clatsop state forests. The notice presents evidence that the state’s practices are harming, harassing and otherwise leading to the demise of the federally protected marbled murrelet, which comes inland to nest and breed in mature and old-growth forests. The Endangered Species Act prohibits actions that injure threatened species, including destruction of their habitat.