The red-cockaded woodpecker is a hard-working bird. It takes him over a year, and sometimes as many as three years, to carve out a bowl for nesting in a pine tree. But once that cavity is created, other birds, like chickadees and even bluebirds, can use it. Alabama's Talledega Forest is home to this woodpecker and the also endangered long-leaf pine tree in which the bird prefers to nest.
Now energy companies want leases that will allow them to "explore" the forest. Exploration inevitably leads to oil and gas extraction, especially through fracking.
This is a forest that is not only vital to the survival of vulnerable wildlife, but also popular with hikers and bird watchers. Tell the US Forest Service to deny all energy exploration rights in the Talladega!
We the undersigned thank you for intervening against energy exploration leases in the Talladega National Forest. This forest is home to the beautiful and vulnerable red-cockaded woodpecker and to the similarly endangered long-leaf pine tree which is the woodpecker's favorite nesting habitat. Not only that, but the Talladega is a national forest and belongs to everybody! It should be protected for future generations, not fracked for the short-term profit of energy companies! Please refuse all energy licenses and leases in this forest!
