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areas. However, many commercially important species are not 

 adequately protected in this manner. [Researchers] have noted 

 that of all of the valuable commercial timber species in 

 California, it appears that only redwood and red fir have 

 adequate iji situ protection, (pg. 106-107) 



"While the new molecular technologies, especially genetic 

 engineering, hold much promise for improving the productivity of 

 domesticated animals and plants, it should be made clear that for 

 the foreseeable future the raw materials required for the success 

 of these new technologies will be the threatened traditional 

 sources of genetic diversity : naturally-occurring wild species; 

 collections; and the "primitive" animal breeds and plant 

 varieties found mainly in developing countries." (pg. 22) 

 [underline in original] 



Oregon has a rich natural heritage of biological species, many of 

 which occur nowhere else in the world. However, Oregon is rapidly 

 losing the fight to preserve Oregons's unique biological heritage — 

 and thus its economic options for the future. One of the few bulwarks 

 against species extinction is the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This 

 is, however, the same statute that numerous bills now seek to destroy. 



Many fragile ecosystems are under assault and becoming fragmented 

 by a variety of human activities. From a purely practical economic 

 viewpoint, we cannot afford to let whole ecosystems collapse. Much of 

 the Pacific Northwest's economic wealth depends on such ecosystems, 

 and their loss would immeasurably impoverish our region and its 

 economic potential. 



The spotted owl is merely an "indicator species." Other 

 "indicator species" which are also dependent for their existence on 

 this same forest ecosystem are the various species of Pacific 

 salmonids and related species (coho, chinook, steelhead trout, chum, 

 sea run cutthroat trout, pink and sockeye) . These are all 

 "anadromous" species, i.e., they breed in fresh water and migrate out 

 through salt water estuaries to the sea. All of these species spawn 

 and go through the most fragile stages of their lifecycles in fresh 

 water, most of which originates in or flows through Oregon's 

 forestlands. Logging and grazing practices which have destroyed 

 Oregon's old growth forests have also — simultaneously — helped 

 destroy Oregon's salmon. This is a prime example of the continuing 

 economic loss to Oregon which results from the destruction of an 

 ecosystem and the species which depend upon it. The same story is 

 being played out in Northern California and Washington as well, as 

 short-sighted extractive policies jeopardize the long-term 

 sustainability of the resource and — ultimately — the entire 

 region's economic future. 



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