Comment on FR Doc # E9-26154

To Whom it May Concern, Habitat Education Center supports the listing of the Queen Charlotte Goshawk (QCG) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) from British Columbia as an endangered species. Members and supporters of HEC have an interest in protection of this and other populations of the Queen Charlotte Goshawk. We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this important protective action for this sensitive species. The QCG requires old-growth conditions for its survival and these conditions take centuries to develop. Logging, development and global climate change all combine to threaten the viability of this and other species associated with old-growth forests. Listing this DPS is a much-needed step towards protecting this species but will be insufficient if more is not done to slow climate change. Even with additional protected areas designated across BC, this species will still face a gauntlet of threats from historic and current logging, ecological fragmentation, and warmer climatic conditions. Listing the DPS of QCG allows for further steps to be taken to protect this species and provides a buffer against increased logging and road-building in critical habitat. We urge Fish and Wildlife Service to move quickly to place the QCG on the Endangered Species Act list of endangered species and to focus on all populations of this subspecies as well as other northern goshawk populations across the United States. Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on this important issue. Sincerely, David J. Zaber, M.S., Ph.D. Resource Ecologist Habitat Education Center Monona, WI 53716