Environmental Problems Caused by Humans Essay

Environmental Problems Caused by Humans

The old growth forest is rich ecosystems which provide a home for Northern spotted Owl at the same time a habitat for the primary prey for the owl. However the same trees of firs and cedars that serves as a habitat for the owl is also the primary source of a lucrative multibillion dollar logging industry. If there is a destruction of the forest due to logging the northern spotted owl will end up loosing its habitat.

The northern spotted owl has been rapidly declining with close to half of its population having being wiped out. This old growth forest that gives home for the owl has become a large income earner in the logging industry which has led to the creation of numerous jobs for hundreds and thousands of workers. Due to the logging activities approximately 10% of the original forest is what has remained intact therefore leaving only a limited amount of space for the dwindling number of owls that are found in this region.

As a response to this decline, several environmentalists have petitioners the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service to place the owl among the list of endangered species.They argue that the northern spotted owl as an indicator species acts as a gauge of the state of the health of the forest that provides its habitat. The main threat of the spotted owl is loss of its a habitat as a result of logging, the U.S. government therefore declared this northern owl a species whose existence has been threatened in 1990.this move was opposed vehemently by those in the timber industry as many acres of the pacific Northwest forest were under protection to help in slowing or bringing a reverse to the decline in the owl numbers.

A ferocious debate thus emerged between environmentalists who are advocating for the protection of the spotted owl and those in the timber industry who are advocating for their survival economically. Should the pacific Northwest old growth forest and the northern spotted owl's welfare be sacrificed for the economy of the country and those who are working in the logging industry loose their jobs Which of these two should actually be prioritized?.it is estimated that close….....