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Oregon Brings Public Into Wolf Debate
12/31/02
BY BRENT ISRAELSEN
©2002, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
PORTLAND, Ore. -- A wolf known as "B45" crossed from Idaho into Oregon in early 1999 and roamed the state's Blue Mountains for about three weeks.
The wolf killed no livestock, but it created a high degree of anxiety among ranchers and state leaders, who finally persuaded the federal government to take the animal back to the official wolf recovery zone in central Idaho.
Sound familiar?
Late last month, a wolf known as "253" sauntered into Utah from Yellowstone National Park, also an official wolf-recovery area. State wildlife officials called the feds, who promptly deported the wolf to Wyoming.
"When I heard about the wolf in Utah, all I could think of was B45 and the month I spent on the phone," says Mark Henjum of Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In 2000, at least two more central Idaho wolves forded the Snake River into Oregon. One was shot illegally; the other was hit by a car.
Like Oregon, Utah now finds itself having to deal with a predator once exterminated for the benefit of ranchers and hunters. The wolf could be removed from the endangered species list as early as next year. After that, states outside the federal recovery zone of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming can determine on their own how to manage the wolf.
In Oregon, state wildlife officials have just wrapped up 14 "wolf town hall meetings" around the state to solicit public comments on how the state should proceed in managing wolves. Earlier this year, the state Fish and Wildlife
Commission held fact-finding hearings at which wolf experts were invited to testify.
Utah has no immediate plans to reach out to the public on the wolf issue. Utah wildlife officials say they are awaiting direction from the Legislature, which generally backs livestock and hunting interests on issues involving predators.
Having attracted 1,600 people, Oregon's town hall meetings have been "a prime opportunity to bring diverse viewpoints to the table and get people talking to each other," says Nancy Weiss, Oregon representative of Defenders of Wildlife, the principal nongovernmental organization backing wolf recovery in the United States.
On a rain-soaked night in mid-December, more than 200 people showed up to participate in a town hall meeting in Portland.
Oregon wildlife officials presented an overview of the state's wolf history and issues, then took questions, which ranged from wolves' impact on livestock and game, to the cost of wolf management.
The crowd then divided into seven groups to give participants a chance to voice comments and concerns -- input that eventually will be used by Oregon's wildlife commission in developing a wolf management plan.
While too early to speculate on the specifics of the plan, Commission Chairman John Esler says it will accommodate wolves.
"We don't want wolves to come here, but if one has gone to the trouble to get here, we'll let it stay. . . . It's a little like how [the United States] treats Cubans."
12/31/02
BY BRENT ISRAELSEN
©2002, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
PORTLAND, Ore. -- A wolf known as "B45" crossed from Idaho into Oregon in early 1999 and roamed the state's Blue Mountains for about three weeks.
The wolf killed no livestock, but it created a high degree of anxiety among ranchers and state leaders, who finally persuaded the federal government to take the animal back to the official wolf recovery zone in central Idaho.
Sound familiar?
Late last month, a wolf known as "253" sauntered into Utah from Yellowstone National Park, also an official wolf-recovery area. State wildlife officials called the feds, who promptly deported the wolf to Wyoming.
"When I heard about the wolf in Utah, all I could think of was B45 and the month I spent on the phone," says Mark Henjum of Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In 2000, at least two more central Idaho wolves forded the Snake River into Oregon. One was shot illegally; the other was hit by a car.
Like Oregon, Utah now finds itself having to deal with a predator once exterminated for the benefit of ranchers and hunters. The wolf could be removed from the endangered species list as early as next year. After that, states outside the federal recovery zone of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming can determine on their own how to manage the wolf.
In Oregon, state wildlife officials have just wrapped up 14 "wolf town hall meetings" around the state to solicit public comments on how the state should proceed in managing wolves. Earlier this year, the state Fish and Wildlife
Commission held fact-finding hearings at which wolf experts were invited to testify.
Utah has no immediate plans to reach out to the public on the wolf issue. Utah wildlife officials say they are awaiting direction from the Legislature, which generally backs livestock and hunting interests on issues involving predators.
Having attracted 1,600 people, Oregon's town hall meetings have been "a prime opportunity to bring diverse viewpoints to the table and get people talking to each other," says Nancy Weiss, Oregon representative of Defenders of Wildlife, the principal nongovernmental organization backing wolf recovery in the United States.
On a rain-soaked night in mid-December, more than 200 people showed up to participate in a town hall meeting in Portland.
Oregon wildlife officials presented an overview of the state's wolf history and issues, then took questions, which ranged from wolves' impact on livestock and game, to the cost of wolf management.
The crowd then divided into seven groups to give participants a chance to voice comments and concerns -- input that eventually will be used by Oregon's wildlife commission in developing a wolf management plan.
While too early to speculate on the specifics of the plan, Commission Chairman John Esler says it will accommodate wolves.
"We don't want wolves to come here, but if one has gone to the trouble to get here, we'll let it stay. . . . It's a little like how [the United States] treats Cubans."
