Action letter: Bald Ibis In Danger Of Extinction.

[Guest guest]

Bald Ibis In Danger Of Extinction.

 

Information has been received from the Moroccan Ornithological Society,

GOMAC (Groupe d'ornithologie du Maroc) that the holiday resort chain Club

Mediterranee plans to build a new, 8000 bed, 260 hectare holiday resort in

Tifnit, Morocco, immediately adjacent to the last remaining worldwide colony

of the Bald Ibis - and intruding on its feeding grounds in the Souss-Massa

National Park. This colony of 65 breeding pairs (2001) is a significant and

irreplaceable part of the Moroccan, and planetary, natural heritage.

 

In order that we an keep track of - and assess the impact of the protest -

please bcc all

correspondence to: < proact-baldibis >

For more information and photos please go to <

http://proaction.tripod.com/baldibis >

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Contact Addresses:

 

1.

M. Mohamed EL YAZGHI

Ministre chargé de l'Aménagement du Territoire, de l'Urbanisme,de l'Habitat

et l'Environnement

Département de l'environnement

36 Avenue Al Abtal

Agdal - Rabat

Maroc

Tel : 037 77 26 34 et 35

Fax : 037 77 27 56

email to < info >

email bcc < proact-baldibis >

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2.

M. Fathallah OUALALOU

Ministre de l'Economie, des Finances, de la Privatisation et du Tourisme

Département de Tourisme

Quartier Administratif - Rabat

Maroc

Tel : 037 76 17 01/ 02

email to < ministre >

email bcc < proact-baldibis >

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3.

M le Ministre Délégué chargé des Eaux et Forêts

Quartier Administratif

Place Abdellah Chefchaouni

B.P. 607 Rabat

Maroc

Tél: (07) 76 09 33 / 93 - 76 01 02.

Fax: 76 33 78.

email to < webmaster >

email bcc < proact-baldibis >

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SAMPLE LETTER 1: Remember to add your name, address & country and forward

widely.

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Dear Minister,

 

We are bewildered and dismayed to learn that the Club Mediterranee plans to

build a new, 8000 bed, 260 hectare holiday resort in Tifnit, Morocco,

immediately adjacent to the last remaining worldwide colony of the Bald Ibis

- and intruding on its feeding grounds in the Souss-Massa National Park.

This colony of 65 breeding pairs (2001) is a significant and irreplaceable

part of the Moroccan, and planetary, natural heritage.

 

We are aware that the Moroccan ornithological society GOMAC (Groupe

d'ornithologie du Maroc), together with national and international

scientists, have campaigned tirelessly for the protection of this extremely

rare species in your country, which has become a prestigious symbol of your

national avifauna. Recent field studies in the National Park, under the

aegis of BirdLife International, showed an encouraging rise in Bald Ibis

numbers; finally halting the previous catastrophic decline in this species,

both in Morocco and at world level. This is a cause for congratulation; but

also for consolidation. Such successes are rare and should not be lightly

discarded.

 

Whilst understanding the importance of tourism to the Moroccan economy it is

incomprehensible that the massive environmental impact of this Club

Mediterranee project does not appear to be given the consideration it

merits. The Bald Ibis colony at Tifnit is an exceptional and valuable

natural asset. Once destroyed it can never be replaced. Indeed, with the

continuous increase in green tourism, the almost unique status of the colony

could become a not inconsiderable economic factor. On the other hand, its

destruction would generate negative and unwelcome environmental publicity

for Morocco

 

We support the GOMAC initiative against the uncritical acceptance of this

project. We understand that various impact assessment analyses corroborate

their grounds for concern; and that studies of alternative locations for the

resort, not far from the National Park site, endorse the argument that they

would be considerably less detrimental to the feeding habitats and thereby

the survival - of the Bald Ibis.

 

We urge you to accept the responsibility for the survival of this threatened

bird species and use the influence and standing of your office to prevent

irreversible damage to the natural environment of your country.

 

In the hope of a favourable outcome and intervention on your part we remain,

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

[Name and full address]

 

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SAMPLE LETTER 2: Remember to add your name & country.

< http://WWW.HOTCORP.COM/ > Web-To-Fax Services

 

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Email bcc < proact-baldibis >

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M. Phillipe Bourguignon

President du Directoire

Club Mediterranee

11 rue de Cambrai

75019 Paris Cedex 19

France

Fax: 331 53353151

 

Dear Monsieur Bourguignon,

 

We are bewildered and dismayed to learn that your company, the Club

Mediterranee, plans to build a new, 8000 bed, 260 hectare holiday resort in

Tifnit, Morocco, immediately adjacent to the last remaining worldwide colony

of the Bald Ibis - and intruding on its feeding grounds in the Souss-Massa

National Park. This colony of 65 breeding pairs (2001) is a significant and

irreplaceable part of the Moroccan, and planetary, natural heritage.

 

We ask you urgently to reconsider this decision and review the

environmentally less damaging alternatives.

 

You are surely aware that the Moroccan ornithological society GOMAC (Groupe

d'ornithologie du Maroc), together with national and international

scientists, have campaigned tirelessly for the protection of this extremely

rare species, which has become a prestigious symbol of Moroccan avifauna.

Recent field studies in the National Park, under the aegis of BirdLife

International, showed an encouraging rise in Bald Ibis numbers; finally

halting the previous catastrophic decline in this species, both in Morocco

and at world level. This is a cause for congratulation; but also for

consolidation. Such successes are rare and should not be lightly discarded.

 

While appreciating that your business concerns are foremost in your plans,

and understanding the importance of tourism to the Moroccan economy, it is

nevertheless incomprehensible that the massive environmental impact of this

Club Mediterranee project does not appear to be given the consideration it

merits. The Bald Ibis colony at Tifnit is an exceptional and valuable

natural asset. Once destroyed it can never be replaced. Indeed, with the

continuous increase in green tourism, the almost unique status of the colony

could become a not inconsiderable economic factor for the country and could

be incorporated in your future projects. On the other hand, the destruction

of this site and its unique occupants would generate negative and unwelcome

environmental publicity for Morocco and your company.

 

We urge you to accept part of the responsibility for the survival of this

threatened bird species; and use your influence to prevent irreversible

damage to the natural environment.

 

In the hope of a favourable outcome and intervention on your part we remain,

 

Yours faithfully,

 

(Your name and country here)

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