More perspective on frog habitat

The County Times takes a look at the decision to reduce red-legged frog habitat by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Service seems mainly to be concerned with avoiding litigation. According to spokesman Jim Nickles:

"There’s lots of things we’re doing to recover the species. Critical habitat is a very expensive, time-consuming, litigious process," said Nickles.

Nickles says that it’s better to work with private property owners.  The Coastal Commission seems less certain.

Chris Kern, district manager of the California Coastal Commission, said that he was certain that the coastal provisions would shield the frogs’ habitat from harm. The rest of the county was a different story, however.

"The loss of critical habitat beyond the coastal zone could affect the future of the species very strongly," he said.

Furthermore, the federal agency’s proposal wouldn’t help take the red-legged frog off the threatened species list, said Kern.

Coastsider wrote about this decision on November 5.