US Army Bases Now Doubling as Wildlife Refuges

The DOD continues to amaze me. A few months back, I posted here about the alternative energy policies the Department of Defense was promoting, and how the United States Military is set to become one of the worlds largest consumers of renewable fuels. At the time, while I was certainly surprised to see support for renewables coming from the same people currently fighting two wars for petroleum resources (c'mon people, there are other reasons as well, but oil played a major part in these conflicts), it did make sense to me: the military is acutely aware that petroleum is a limited resource, and they know from firsthand experience the huge drawbacks of having to transport heavy, liquid fuel with them everywhere they go. Whatever else you might say about the US military, they are pretty darn good at doing their job, and in this case they saw that one of the tools required to do that job is a more efficient energy source. So I applauded their efforts, relished the idea of having a new, powerful ally in the fight for renewable energy, and assumed it would be the last time I heard positive environmental news from the military. So imagine my surprise to read the following in yesterdays NYT:

"In the early years of the administration of President George W. Bush, the military lobbied Congress for limited exemptions from federal protection rules. Today, herculean efforts to save threatened species are unfolding at dozens of military sites across the nation, from Eglin, Fla., where the Air Force has restored and reconnected streams for the Okaloosa darter, to San Clemente Island, Calif., where the Navy has helped bring the loggerhead shrike back from the brink of extinction. "

Are you f*%&ing kidding me?

Apparently not. It seems that the same people who defend sonar heavy anti-submarine military exercises which can cause whales and dolphins to literally go insane and beach themselves have a soft spot for animals after all. According to The Times:

"The military has not always been so enthusiastic about saving endangered plants and animals, arguing that doing so would hinder its battle preparedness. But post commanders have gradually realized that working to help species rebound is in their best interest, if only because the more the endangered plants and animals thrive, the fewer restrictions are put on training exercises to avoid destroying habitat."

So maybe not exactly a moral victory, but a victory for wildlife nonetheless. After all, from 2004 to 2008, the DOD spent $300 million to protect endangered species. That is more than it spent in the previous 10 years combined. Not exactly chump change.

So, once again, I tip my hat to the US Military. Way to go guys.

Picture provided by Филби's ПРОПАГАНДА ?