The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a federal judge has "ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries violated the Endangered Species Act in their biological opinions for managing four Southern California forests covering 3.2 million acres."

In her ruling on a lawsuit brought by a coalition of environmental groups, Judge Marilyn Patel of the U.S. District Court of Northern California said the opinions failed to include protective measures such as monitoring systems required to determine the effects of land-use decisions on endangered plants and animals in the Los Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino forests.

Endangered birds are among the species that the judge ruled as not receiving sufficient protection, including the California Condor. The judge has ordered the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to work with the environmental groups to work out a remedy.