[TN-Bird] Fw: 'Sang, revisited
- From: "THCumbie" <thcumbie@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 20:28:39 -0500
Charlie wrote...
Subject: [TN-Bird] 'Sang, revisited
I have one more point to add.
>
> Last year I know of at least 2 instances where poachers were caught
> in Great Smoky MOuntains National Park with OVER 100 POUNDS each of
> Ginseng roots. Imagine how many roots it takes to add up to that
> weight. This isn't even the whole plant. The plant was dug up, and
> most of it discarded. This is not your "my people have been doing
> this for generations". This was black market for profit. I don't
> know anything about the background of these guys - maybe they've been
> here for generations, maybe they moved here the week before. But
> they sure knew how to find the plant (I challenge ANY TN-birder to
> find that much 'sang...)
Charlie, surely these 'sang poachers were caught and if not ready for prison
terms soon will be???.... However, I well remember a "poacher" electrically
opening the trunk of my car in a park in Georgia and removing backpacks, purses
and everything else that might have value. When the forest ranger came to take
our report she had on a bullet proof vest (hot July day).
We asked her why the vest. It seemed there were many members of this "gang"
with some of them in prison. This gang was at war with the officers and
rangers ... threatening them if their members were not released from prison.
So there are many threats to our environment.
This 'sang story of Charlie's brings back the sad memory of this mid 90s
incident all too vividly. We, a group of 4, had been birding along the
Chattahoochee River.. a well traveled park where birding had been scheduled
during the migration season for many years.... I had always considered it very
safe....Cochran Shoals.... in or almost in Marietta.
Tess Cumbie
Buladean, NC
> I assure you those 2 guys did more damage than every turkey in the
> park. And how many times did they do it before they got caught? How
> many other plant poachers never get caught? Next time you're worried
> about the number of individuals of a species you care for, think
> about lobbying for better protection in the form of more NPS rangers,
> more TWRA officers, more research...
The grouse feathers I found in my barn were so large and colorful, I really
would love to see the ruffled grouse up close. Thanks for the info that
research is happening.
>
> By the way, I've seen more grouse than turkeys in the park in my 2.5
> years. At Cades Cove and Cataloochee the trend is reversed. But
> overall, I've had probably 5 or 6 times as many Grouse sightings as
> turkey sightings. This is probably more a result of my
> habits/luck/observational skills than it is anything scientifically
> valid, but I think it's worth something.
>
> And as someone alluded to, there is some research being performed on
> the southeastern population of grouse. I believe that at least one
> UT grad student is involved in it. Perhaps Jim or Chuck can comment
> on that?
>
> Charlie
>
>
> =====
> **************************************************
> Charlie Muise, Senior Naturalist
> Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
> Townsend, TN lat 35 deg, 38'23" long 83 deg, 41'22"
>
> "Up, Sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough"
> - Ben Frankline, Poor Richard's Almanac
>
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Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
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TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
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