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Invitation to Join the Utah Wolf Forum

The Utah Wolf Forum has been established to facilitate understanding of the consequences of wolves coming to Utah and to work with interested citizens to ensure that the State of Utah will develop a plan for managing wolves. A principle goal is to have a wolf management plan developed that will allow wolves to exist in Utah, and that is designed to anticipate and minimize potential conflicts.

The Utah Wolf Forum is intended to be a voice for the scientific management of wolves in Utah and to represent conservation groups, hunters, ranchers, wildlife watchers and other interested citizens. The coalition supports the return of wolves to Utah, but recognizes that they must be managed in such a way as to minimize potential conflicts, and therefore to promote coexistence with ranchers, farmers, and other private landowners, as well as with hunters and the public at large.

The Utah Wolf Forum's Mission is:

"Assisting Utahns in the assimilation of naturally recolonizing wolves into Utah, through science-based planning and education."

Our goals are:

1) To establish strong partnerships with hunters, ranchers, the Ute tribe, government agencies, and other concerned Utahns, as we address the wolf issue together.

2) To promote the use of science, and in particular ecology and conservation biology, as the basis for planning, decision-making and management with respect to wolves.

3) To educate Utah's citizens on the biological, social, economic, ethical and legal issues arising from the natural recolonization of Utah by wolves.

4) To work to protect suitable habitat for wolves in Utah.

The Utah State University report (pdf file) on the potential effects of wolf recolonization shows that even a substantial population of wolves would be expected to have a relatively insignificant impact on the livestock industry, and on Utah's deer and elk herds. Furthermore, the return of wolves to our public lands can be expected to restore a measure of ecological integrity that has been missing for over 70 years, when this keystone predator was eliminated. Survey results presented in the report, as well as a more recent poll, demonstrate that there is broad public support for wolves in Utah.

Please consider participating in the forum. Your support, input and guidance will be essential if we are to carry out our mission. You can sign up by replying to Yahoo Groups. Please provide your address, phone and e-mail.