Wolf Advisory Council To Meet In Helena Oct. 17

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Montana’s Wolf Management Advisory Council will meet in Helena, Wednesday, Oct. 17 to review Montana’s forthcoming draft wolf management plan. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at the Board of Investments, 2401 Colonial Dr. beginning at 9 a.m. Earlier this year, the 12-member Wolf Management Plan Advisory Council-a mix of livestock producers, hunters, educators, environmentalists and other citizens--prepared 26 "Guiding Principles" organized in four broad subject areas that address the public interest, public safety, maintaining wildlife populations and protecting the livestock industry. The report was delivered to former Gov. Marc Raciciot and later accepted by Gov. Judy Martz. The wolf is currently listed as "endangered" in northwestern Montana under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and under Montana’s own Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1973. Wolves in southwestern Montana are classified as "experimental, nonessential" populations under the federal ESA. An estimated 45 breeding wolf packs exist in the Montana, Idaho and Wyoming recovery areas. A federal plan currently calls for establishing 10 packs in each of the three areas for three years before delisting can occur. Federal wolf managers, however, say the plan could be amended so that a total of 30 packs well distributed in the tri-state area could trigger delisting, a process that could begin in 2003. Once delisted the wolves will come under state management. Among the federal requirements for wolf delisting, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming must have management plans and other regulatory mechanisms in place to maintain the recovered wolf population within the northern Rocky Mountain Recovery Area. The state wildlife agency’s draft environmental impact statement for the wolf management plan is expected to be available for public review later this year.      Following extensive public review of the EIS a final management plan will be produced. That final plan, along with plans from Idaho and Wyoming, will be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Wolf Advisory Council’s report is available via FWP’s website at: fwp.state.mt.us/wildlife/wolf