LAND OWNERS, Endangered Diamondback Rattlesnake Campaign

LAND OWNERS, take note that the Fish and Wildlife Service has been investigating the status of diamondback rattlesnakes in the Southeast US for three years to decide whether they should be put on the Endangered List as requested by the Center for Biological Diversity.  If that snake is declared "Endangered" or "Threatened", management of timber, crops, pasture, hunting and other uses of your land will probably be changed.  The Florida Forestry Association asks for donations to oppose the request. See article below.

Contact FFA at P.O. Box 1696, Tallahassee, FL 32302-1696, or phone 850-222-5646. 

At the Florida Forestry Assn. meeting in Panama City next week, I expect endangered species will be a conversation topic.  If you are interested, contact me at CBC Benchmark, 904-281-1990, or hrogers@cbcbenchmark.com, and I will give you a few comments.

Henry Rogers, ALC, CCIM
904-421-8537, direct line
Coldwell Banker Commercial Benchmark

ENDANGERED SPECIES LISTINGS

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced on May 10, 2012, that a petition to federally list the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake filed by the Center for Biological Diversity has met the threshold to undertake further analysis to determine whether the listing of the snake under the Endangered Species Act is warranted.
If listed, site preparation, harvesting, and other forestry activities would likely be affected. We are asking our members who own land and those who derive value from Florida’s managed forests to contribute to a special fund to assist in the cost of fighting this effort.
The US Fish & Wildlife Service has been petitioned to list the species as threatened or endangered.  A key argument offered in the petition to list the snake is that it is a habitat specialist and its numbers are decreasing due to the loss of longleaf/wiregrass habitat.
The National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) has developed a survey designed to gather information to better inform FWS about the range of habitat conditions in which the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is found.
NCASI will be collecting survey information through December 31, 2013. Following that date, data collection will cease and NCASI will compile results from surveys; remove any information that would identify individual respondents and/or landowners; and forward a summary of results to the FWS.  The NCASI Survey and cover letter may be found here.
There is also an online survey instrument where users can describe observations of eastern diamondbacks using their internet browser.  The online survey is compatible with many handheld devices.  Users can access the online survey here.