Tina Smith: “In 1976, shortly after the Endangered Species Act became law, an Oregon State graduate student named Eric Forsman…”

“In 1976, shortly after the Endangered Species Act became law, an Oregon State graduate student named Eric Forsman published a master's thesis. It surmised that the spotted owls of Oregon were ``declining as a result of habitat loss.'' The study caused a sensation among the environmental community, which was looking for an Endangered Species test case. By 1988, the environmental activists had defined their battle--to preserve, ``old growth forests.'' In their own words, these activists needed a ``surrogate'' species--one that lived in and needed old growth for its habitat. At a law clinic in 1988, one activist stated: Thanks to the work of Walt Disney, and Bambi and his friends . . . wildlife enjoys substantive statutory protection. While the northern spotted owl is the wildlife species of choice to act as the surrogate for old growth protection, and I've often thought ``thank goodness the spotted owl evolved in the Northwest, for if it hadn't we'd have to genetically engineer it.'' It's a perfect species for use as a surrogate. First of all, it is unique to old growth forests. And there's no credible scientific dispute on that fact. Second of all, it uses a lot of old growth. That's convenient because we can use it to protect a lot of old growth. And ``convenient'' it was to those seeking to end timber harvest in Oregon.”