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URGENT!
Help Make A Place For Wolves In
Utah!
Introduction:
You can have a major impact on the future of wolves
in Utah by participating in the upcoming public meetings of the
Utah Wolf Working Group. The outcome of these sessions will have
a huge influence on wolf management in Utah. If you want to see
wolves return to our state, it is essential that you come to the
meetings and participate.
We are now
at a critical point in the wolf management planning processÑa
veritable crossroadsÑfor if our voice at the upcoming meetings
is not loud, articulate and impressive, then throughout the rest
of the process we will be fighting an uphill battle trying to
overcome the presumption that the opposing, louder voice deserves
more respect than ours.
When that happens,
all the sound science in the world will be of little avail, for
science alone never dictates policy. There is no place in Utah
where the presence of wolf packs will not be problematic, and
if the loudest voice declares ÒNo wolves,Ó then the upshot will
be that we will never have more than a few lone dispersers, and
they will inevitably meet a tragic end. There simply has to be
an equally loud (or louder) voice saying ÒWe want, we NEED wolves
in Utah, and we must find ways to accommodate them.Ó
ItÕs
about wolves, but itÕs also about much more: this is a watershed
moment in the history of wildlife and wildlands management in
Utah, one that will have a long-lasting legacy. Far more than
a few packs of wolves are at stake, for if we fail to seize this
opportunity to make the world safe for a few packs of wolves,
then we also will fail to adequately protect the habitat and the
ecosystems that they would occupy. And we, and our heirs, will
have to live with the results.
On
the other hand, if we succeed, we will help pioneer a new and
better future course for the management of Utah wildlife and wildlands
generally.
ItÕs no exaggeration
to say that these may be the most important wildlife hearings
ever held in Utah.
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Background:
The Utah Wolf
Working Group has been appointed by the state to draft a wolf
management plan for Utah. The plan will take effect when wolves
have been removed from the Endangered Species List (delisted),
which transfers management authority from the federal government
to the state. The Utah Wolf Forum (a participant in the appointed
Wolf Working Group) is encouraged by the stateÕs commitment to
draft a wolf management plan, a commitment that involves significant
public input.
However, we are
very concerned that the resulting plan may not provide adequate
protections for wolves or wolf habitat. The Utah Wolf Working
Group currently has 13 members, of which only 4 represent Ònon-consumptiveÓ
wildlife interests. Politically powerful stakeholder groups, represented
by 6 of the 9 remaining members, are strongly opposed to wolf
recovery in Utah. In order to ensure that the wolf management
plan guarantees protection for wolves, it is vitally important
that people like you make your voices heard.
The upcoming public
hearings are your best opportunity to stand up and speak out.
You CAN make a difference and help provide a bright future for
wolves in Utah. Please plan to attend at least one hearing in
your area, and encourage friends and neighbors to join you.
At the public
meetings, you will be working in small groups (3-8). These groups
will be asked to generate both a list of important ÒissuesÓ with
respect to wolves and wolf management, as well as ÒrecommendationsÓ
to the Gray Wolf Working Group. You wonÕt be asked to testify.
Because of the unusual format of these meetings, itÕs important
that you show up at the posted start time (7 PM). We expect the
meetings to last 1-2 hours.
Below we have
provided some Òtalking pointsÓ that summarize issues that we feel
are most important. Feel free to use them if you find them helpful.
The important thing is that you contribute your voice to the process.
The public input that the Utah Wolf Working Group receives at
these meetings will have a large impact on the final plan.
Suggested Talking Points
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The
management plan should:
á
Most importantly, support the
natural recovery of a self-sustaining gray wolf population in
Utah. Wolves are an important part of UtahÕs natural heritage
and they will help maintain healthy ecosystems. The management
plan should reflect this, and provide protections for wolves,
especially in the early stages of wolf recovery.
á
Support the identification,
protection and management of good quality habitat and native ecosystems
for both wolves and their prey. These areas would, if properly managed, provide intact watersheds, healthy
forests, clean water, abundant fish and game with forage and habitat
for all wildlife species. Hunters, anglers, wildlife-watchers,
our watersheds, the quality of life in Utah and the economy would
all benefit from this approach.
á
Encourage the development of
programs that provide education and assistance in management methods
to minimize potential conflicts between wolves and livestock. A successful example is the Wolf Guardian program offered
by Defenders of Wildlife, which helps ranchers and farmers apply
nonlethal deterrents to protect livestock and prevent depredations. Defenders also reimburses livestock owners
for losses due to wolf predation at 100% of market value for confirmed
losses and 50% for probable losses, as determined by USDA Wildlife
Services and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The wolf compensation program alone has reimbursed livestock
owners over $200,000 in the region since 1987.
á
Provide for lethal control of
wolves only as a last resort.
Although we know that some wolves will occasionally kill livestock,
every attempt should be made to resolve conflicts using non-lethal
methods. The plan should emphasize preventative measures rather
than simply reacting to conflicts after they occur.
á
Reflect the interests of all
Utahns. Surveys conducted
by Utah State University and the Salt Lake Tribune have shown
that a majority of Utah residents favor having wolves in the state.
á
Provide for the designation
of core habitat areas for wolves, where the overriding management
priority would be the protection of recovering wolf populations. Wolves dispersing between such ÒcoreÓ areas should also
be protected, as dispersal is essential to maintaining genetically
healthy populations.
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Some useful facts:
á
Wolves are wild animals, and should
be treated with respect and caution. However, wolves are, as a
rule, not dangerous to humans. Wolf attacks on humans, especially
in North America, are extremely
rare. In nearly every documented case, the wolf had become habituated
to humans because people had been feeding it.
á
Some wolves occasionally kill livestock.
However, livestock depredations since wolves were reintroduced
in the Northern Rockies have been much less of a problem than
was expected. For example, there are now more than 700 wolves
in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Despite this, less than 3 of every
10,000 cattle losses in that area are due to depredation by wolves.
á
The effects of wolves on big game populations are variable.
There is some evidence that the presence of wolves may be contributing
to the recent population decline of the northern Yellowstone elk
herd. However, elk populations in most of western Montana are
booming despite the presence of wolves. Similarly, elk populations
in western Wyoming remain well above management objectives. All
in all, there is no scientific evidence that wolves are ÒdecimatingÓ big
game populations, as some have claimed.
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Useful
web resources (educate yourself!):
Wolf Recovery
Foundation: http://www.forwolves.org
International
Wolf Center: http://www.wolf.org/wolves/index.asp
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gray Wolf Recovery
Page: http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf/
Defenders of Wildlife Wolf Page: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/new/wolves.html
Utah State UniversityÕs
report on wolves in Utah: http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/wolf/pdf/Wolves_in_Utah_nov15.pdf
Meeting Schedule
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Monday, March 8th at 7:00 PM Ð Roosevelt
Utah State University
(multipurpose room)
987 E. Lagoon
St., Roosevelt (435) 722-2294
Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 PM Ð
Vernal
Western Park (room
3)
302 E. 200 S.,
Vernal
(435) 789-7396
Wednesday, March 10th at 7:00 PM
Ð Salt Lake City
DNR Auditorium
1594 West North
Temple, Salt Lake City
Thursday, March 11th at 7:00 PM
Ð Ogden
Ogden Union Station
2501 Wall Ave.,
Ogden
(801) 629-8446
Friday, March 12th at 7:00 PM Ð
Logan
Bridgerland Applied
Technology Center, Rooms 1513-1514
1301 N. 600 W.,
Logan
(435) 753-6780
Monday, March 15th at 7:00 PM Ð
Cedar City
Cross Hollows
Intermediate School
2215 W. Royal
Hunte Dr., Cedar City
(up the hill behind
the Wal-Mart)
Tuesday, March 16th at 7:00 PM
Ð Richfield
Sevier County
Administration Building (old courthouse)
250 N. Main St.,
Richfield
Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00 PM
Ð Moab
Moab Senior Center
450 E. 100 N.,
Moab
Thursday, March 18th at 7:00 PM
Ð Price
Castle Valley
Center
755 N. Cedar Hills
Dr., Price
Friday, March 19th at 7:00 PM Ð
Spanish Fork
Spanish Fork Veterans
Center
400 N. Main St.,
Spanish Fork
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