The Warbler
newsletter of the Sierra
Club Piney Woods Group
November 2007
DEVELOPER SEEKING
PERMIT TO PUT CONDOS IN AREA SURROUNDED BY AUDUBON SANCTUARY – NEED
COMMENTS TO U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BY MONDAY!
Hi, Folks!
I know we’ve hit you with a lot of alerts lately, but there’s an issue on the coast that really needs our help!
Houston Audubon Society (HAS), now directed by our own Gina Donovan, has a fabulous sanctuary on the Bolivar
Peninsula that is threatened by a badly-placed development. The condo development is proposed on a on a tract of land on the Gulf coast that is completely surrounded by the sanctuary. The Corps must grant the developer permission to fill in 6 acres of wetlands (in this case dune-swale wetlands that are an important source of fresh water for wildlife in coastal systems which are extremely difficult to replace by “mitigation”).
Texas Conservation Alliance is joining HAS in requesting that this permit be denied and that a formal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared, evaluating the detriments to wildlife the project would cause.
Please write to:
Mr. Jayson M. Hudson
Regulatory Branch, CESWG-PE-RB
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 1229
Galveston , Texas
77553-1229
or fax him at 409-766-6301.
Talking points:
Permit Application No. SWG-2007-321 proposes to fill 6.02 acres of dune-swale wetlands adjacent to the world-famous Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, owned by Houston Audubon Society, an area that supports huge numbers of wintering, migrating, and breeding shorebirds.
The Clean Water Act prohibits the filling of wetlands for development that is NOT water dependent.
Wetlands in general are being rapidly being lost due to development.
Dune-swale wetlands are an important source of fresh water for wildlife in coastal systems and are extremely difficult to replace.
The proposed 20.7-acre off-site mitigation tract is inadequate in size and quality to replace the high quality wetlands that will be filled by the proposed development.
Attached is a sample letter to help you write your letter. Feel free to use your own words – the
important thing is to ask the Corps to deny the permit!
Appreciate you greatly!
Janice
Janice Bezanson , Executive Director
Texas Conservation Alliance
Formerly Texas Committee on Natural Resources (TCONR)
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Outing this weekend!
Join Kerry Barnes and Phoebe for a hike on the North Section
of the Turkey Creek Trail this Saturday, Nov. 10th.
This is a well-maintained trail in the northernmost unit
of the Big Thicket---enjoy the beautiful fall foliage and
crisp autumn weather. There should be a good chance for
productive birding with the approaching cold front. Kerry
and hike participants will decide how far to hike when
they meet on Saturday morning. Bring a lunch and water.
Orange vests and hats are not required, but people do hunt
next to the preserve.
There will be two choices for meeting---carpool from the
Farmer's Market in Nacogdoches, leaving by 8 a.m., or meet
at 10 a.m. at the trail crossing of Triple D. Ranch Rd.
Directions: Hwy 69 to Warren (about 60 miles south of Lufkin)
then south about 3 miles to Triple D. Ranch Rd. (may be
called Hester Bridge Rd.) If you hit FM 2827 from the west,
you've passed the turn. Turn east on Triple D. Ranch Rd.
and hit trail where the road crosses Turkey Creek.
Contacts: Vicki Baggett 936.564.0179 or email:
vlbaggett@gmail.com
---------------------------------
We have been invited to share a booth at the Nine Flags
Festival with Austin Heights youth
We've done this the
past few years---we sell calendars and baked goods to raise
funds. It is a good opportunity to be out in the community.
The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 17th from 5-8
p.m. on the square in Nac.
I would be willing to help set
up and to contribute some baked goods. I have to leave
at 6, however, so volunteers will be needed to man the
booth and break it down after the parade at 8. Please let
me know by Nov. 10 if you are willing to help out.
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Email difficulties persist
Despite my changing email addresses,
and emailing to small groups, one of the last group messages
that I emailed out landed in my spam box. Since I don't
know how to control this, and I have no way of knowing
who actually receives these messages, I am forced to change
methods. I have opened an account with google groups:
pineywoods-sierra-group@googlegroups.com This
is an interactive message board---all members can post
or reply to messages.
I have specified that the list be private, and the members
and archives be available only to other members, and not
searchable on the web. It is an invitation-only list.
It will require a few minutes on your part to join the
group, and possibly set up a google account. Once this
is done, it should be a more democratic means of communication.
Watch your email box for an invitation from google groups.
It will say " Google Groups: You've been invited to Pineywoods SIerra Group".
I hope to phase out traditional emails by January.
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Thank you to Julie Shackelford
Thank you to Julie Shackelford of The Conservation Fund
for a very informative program. We are fortunate to have
Julie and the Conservation Fund working for us in East
Texas. If you missed her program, check out the website
at www.conservationfund.org. The Conservation Fund is focused
on preserving land in East Texas, specifically along the
Neches down to the Big Thicket. The Conservation Fund is
responsible for preserving well over 100,000 acres in East
Texas. Another project of the Fund is the Texas Pineywoods
Experience, create to "revitalize and protect the economy
and environment of the Pineywoods region of East Texas." Lots
of information on the website.
A big thank you to Annette and Pam
for the wonderful refreshments.
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The Warbler
Newsletter of the Pineywoods Sierra Group
Vicki Baggett, editor
http://www.texas.sierraclub.org/pineywoods/index.asp
"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay
out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going
in."
~John Muir