By Jessica Almy
Last summer when our newsletter came out, I read what I'd
written about pressing on despite setbacks and resistance and I
realized that I needed those words of encouragement myself,
just as much as our dedicated activists and volunteers might
have. It can be exhausting to continually advocate on behalf of
animals and their habitats—I know firsthand!
That's why I'm so happy to report a major victory. This
fall, a federal judge called off the release of 600 farm-raised
pheasants for hunters on the Cape Cod National Seashore. She
ruled that the program violated the National Environmental
Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to assess what
environmental harm might be caused by their actions. In fact,
the judge's decision will require the National Seashore to
evaluate the environmental consequences of all of its hunting
programs, including duck, deer, sparrow, weasel, and squirrel
hunting.
We've campaigned against pheasant stocking since the
Advocacy Program was inaugurated in 2001 because releasing
nearly defenseless pheasants is inhumane—and could harm the
seashore's fragile ecosystem. We hope that the judge's decision
will encourage the National Seashore to eliminate hunting
programs altogether.
I'd like to thank everyone who helped us achieve this
victory: the activists who took the time to attend meetings and
write letters, the local organizations who took a stand against
the practice, and the donors who make every bit of our work
possible. I hope you'll be heartened by this news and be
reminded that your good intentions, good actions, and generous
support are never overlooked.
From the Spring 2004 Cape
Wildlife Center newsletter
