Bat shut down?

[timberlinetree]

They say ( forester/landowner) that the job we are on, no tree felling from June 1st until Oct? We can move wood,just no cutting. This is in ct. Anyone else running into this?

[David-L]

Nope, but have heard about it.

[wannaergo]

They tried doing that here in MI, but it got shot down.

[Woodhauler]

They say ( forester/landowner) that the job we are on, no tree felling from June 1st until Oct? We can move wood,just no cutting. This is in ct. Anyone else running into this?

Sounds like Dingbats to me!

[bill m]

Yes, it is affecting one of my jobs. Two years in a row.

[Ed_K]

I have one job on hold thru NRCS but was told ok after july 31.

[Skip]

All cutting on right of ways around here (pipeline etc) must be done by April 1 to protect breeding grounds of the Indiana brown bat. They are out now making colony trees now next to R.O.W's Crews can clear all down trees and grind and remove timber

[Farmboy 96]

My uncle works for a large excavation company and he did a waterline job in Augusta last year and it was postponed for almost 4 months because of some supposed "Long Eared bats" that inhabited the area. They were making a small road about 20 ft wide by about 900 feet long. Had to get special permits and had a small time frame to get the road cleared. Ended up having to go threw and cut any tree smaller then 4 inches in diameter that was anywhere near the road because they didn't want them in the picture because it had something to do with the bats and was part of the deal with the inspectors and permits.

[Wudman]

They say ( forester/landowner) that the job we are on, no tree felling from June 1st until Oct? We can move wood,just no cutting. This is in ct. Anyone else running into this?

I would guess this is due to the Northern Long Eared Bat.  The bat is in serious decline due to a fungal infection known as White Nose Syndrome.  It is now a federally listed threatened species.  Under the US Fish and Wildlife Service 4(d) rule announced in January, a 150 buffer must be left around all known maternal roost trees during the pup rearing season from June 1 to July 31.  A 1/4 mile buffer is required around all known hibernacula (normally caves where they hibernate - or some old structures used for hibernation) year round.  The final rule was much more favorable to the industry than the preliminary rule issued previously.  Thanks to the National Alliance of Forest Landowners (NAFO) for their work on this issue. 

Wudman

[Gearbox]

Someone said on here [I think] .We have gotten along ok so far without the many prehistoric creatures .

[Gary_C]

The final rule was much more favorable to the industry than the preliminary rule issued previously.  Thanks to the National Alliance of Forest Landowners (NAFO) for their work on this issue. 

Yes, along with a lot of other organizations and individuals that kept the US Fish and Wildlife Service down to making a stupid rule from making a very stupid rule that would have devastated a lot of industries.

Read more about it here: https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,55196.0/all.html   
and here:https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,79017.msg1199614.html#msg1199614

[coxy]

pretty soon we will all be on the gov hand out line with things like this

[OH logger]

don't hurt the bats but we can abort BABIES :(. crazy country

[CCC4]

This is a subject I am very opinionated on. I know enough about the situation here to have an opinion but have no scientific data to use in an argument. So...here is our situation and how I see it.

Bat numbers in the millions are on the decline...from logging??? No! ...from land development? No!! It is from White Nose Syndrome. It can be carried from cave to cave by the bats and or humans visiting caves. It is a fungus that kills the bats and has done so in vast numbers leaving Government specialists with no quick answers and only a finger to point at logging.

Ideas have been going around about shutting out loggers from NFS land during a several month period. Efforts this year to help the bats have got me wondering what is up. A Pre commercial type thinning is being done through large areas of planted NFS pine. The slash is being left for bats. This is where I am at a loss, I do not see how this is going to help the bats. I heard it is to promote bug numbers for food...I don't get it.

NFS this year has been burning thousands of acres of FS land. Ideas were going around as to the "why"...is it to encourge our Elk herd to broaden their territory? Is it for the bats? Is it for fire prevention? Here is what I have found out...it is supposed to be for all of the above! Later, I found out a real reason that is being kept a little hushed up...years ago when Government agencies were starting our large Elk herd, the seed population was coming from Colorado and Arizona areas. If you remember, those populations got sick from "wastings disease". Hmmmm....so the rumor that 1,800 whitetails were killed this past year for "scientific study" sound pretty interesting to me. Guess what...our population of white tailed deer showed positive for "wastings disease"!! Evidently...and I am sure it would be argued by AG&F...when the Elk herd came here they brought a little something with them...awesome!!!

Ok, so now you have white nose syndrome in bats and now wastings disease in deer...so why not change some of the focus and take a little weight off AG&F and try some crap focused on logging in efforts to help the bat population?? BAMM!!! Tree huggers jump right on it...oh logging is so bad on the wildlife....give me a break! Nothing has to do with logging in my opinion.

Last thoughts. Indianna Grey bat is arboral, it lives in timber. Why not cut during the Summer months to where the can re-locate, rather than cut in Winter when they are semi hibernating in the timber and will die of exposure?

Sorry for so windy

[CCC4]

I re-read my post and it appears to me that my brain was turning faster than what my finger could type and I wasn't clear as to my main point. My my main point is that there are (2) major problems that have no clear solutions. So....pointing a finger at logging seems to be the objective as a solution to an unsolvable list of problems. Therefore taking the blame off what they can't fix and trying to show they are doing something by blaming loggers. These are two clearly biological problem...not ecological! I feel logging regulations will just be something to make them look like they are doing something...but not really helping the situation at all. Thanks

[Autocar]

From my understanding cave explorers from Germany brought the white nose syndrome to this country. Ive heard rumors that clear cutting in areas here in Ohio are put on hold but don't know for sure.

[coxy]

ccc4 I heard the same thing as you  the only thing I cant figure out is if they want bugs for the bats to eat why burn the forest floor  as I say you are right about what you say they have to blame every thing on the logging

[treeslayer2003]

Clint i agree with every thing you said 100% +1000. its that way with every thing even remotely protected here. there is no evidence what so ever commercial logging has ever impacted any thing other than improving future timber stands. how ever it is the very first thing uninformed folks point the finger at. they are burning off state land here as well, last year was the first time i herd of it in years. of course we are not to do that lol.

[bill m]

I don't get the impression that they are blaming any of this on logging. They just don't want loggers cutting trees during the nesting season. I can understand that. I'm not crazy about it but the bats play a very important part in the ecosystem and if it means I can't cut where they are rearing their young I move to a different job.

[Dave Shepard]

 

[Gary_C]

I don't get the impression that they are blaming any of this on logging.

Logging is not being blamed nor is it involved in the problem with declining bat populations. The problem is that no consideration is given to the economic damage the rules which have been enacted that will not reverse the effects of white nose syndrome. Thus loggers and related industries will suffer for no real gain in the life cycle of the bats.

Overall the Endangered Species Act as administered primarily by the Fish and Wildlife Service has a poor record of saving any listed species. Last I knew there were some 2000 listed species with hundreds being proposed to be added every year and only 28 have ever recovered as a result of the act.

The classic case is the Spotted Owl that was used to destroy the logging industry in the Northwest US yet the species is still under attack not by logging but by the Barred Owls that are taking over their territory and killing the Spotted Owls. The environmentalists are still "Playing God" by attempting to shoot the Barred Owls to save their favored Spotted Owls.  :

If you really want to read about failed attempts by our government to "manage wildlife" you should read "Playing God in Yellostone" which is a well documented story about how the Park Service was killing species to save species.

We can only hope they don't try to save the bats by shooting loggers. 

[coxy]

I don't get the impression that they are blaming any of this on logging.

We can only hope they don't try to save the bats by shooting loggers. 

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[HiTech]

In some areas here they won't let you cut. Something about the Indiana Brown Bat. I think though when it comes to feeding the Hog Boiler on Fort Drum all rules and regulations get bypassed.

[timberlinetree]

Good morning - timbelinetree has endured another head injury, which has landed him in the ER twice last week. He has been ordered no work, no computer, etc for two weeks so he says he will respond to anyone once he's back up and running! Thank you all for your responses

[teakwood]

I am sorry to hear that.   get better!