A planning document designed to kick off the next phase of Montana’s effort to prepare for the anticipated recovery and federal delisting of the state’s gray wolf population is available to the public.
The draft “Montana Wolf Conservation and Management Planning Document” is based on recommendations made by Montana’s Wolf Management Advisory Council, a mix of livestock producers, hunters, educators, conservationists and other citizens. The council 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.
“Two years ago Montana made it a priority to focus on people, in addition to wolves, because it’s clear the long-term survival of wolves in Montana depends on public support,” said Glenn Erickson, chief of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ wildlife management bureau. “Montana set out to bring citizens together to discuss the issues and listen to each other’s points-of-view, not to provide a podium for specific agendas. The council worked extremely hard to help us all better understand the big picture of wolves in Montana and the responsibilities and challenges we’ll face when we begin to manage wolves.”
In anticipation of the wolf’s recovery, in 2000 former Gov. Marc Racicot appointed the 12-member Wolf Management Advisory Council to consider a wolf management approach for Montana to follow once the wolf is delisted. After seven months of public deliberations over a wide range of issues, the council submitted its findings to Gov. Judy Martz in 2001. Gov. Martz then directed Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to draft the wolf conservation and management planning document now available from FWP and on FWP’s website: www.fwp.state.mt.us/wildthings/wolf/wolfmanagement.asp.
Erickson stressed, however, that the planning document is not Montana’s official wolf management plan. “The planning document reflects what a state wolf management plan could resemble if it were based on the council’s work and recommendations,” he said. “We still need to hear from others before Montana can finalize a management plan. The environmental review process we’ll initiate in March will help accomplish that.”
The planning document attempts to follow the council’s goal to develop a wolf management approach and framework that is biologically possible, socially acceptable, and economically feasible, Erickson said. Major issues identified in the planning document address: human safety, livestock predation, compensation for livestock losses, funding, wolf conservation and management, and maintaining Montana’s deer, elk and moose populations.
Based on the council’s recommendation to encourage wolves where the potential for conflict is lowest, the planning document suggests that most of Montana’s wolves would ideally inhabit western Montana’s public lands. In addition, the planning document suggests that:
· wolves are a native wildlife species and a part of Montana’s natural environment and heritage;
· the State of Montana is committed to maintaining a recovered wolf population and to prevent wolves from being reclassified as "threatened" or "endangered" under federal law;
· wolves, like mountain lions, would be managed in an ecological fashion, using adaptive, proactive management approaches for both predators and prey based on their population status;
· wolves would be managed in an incremental approach, with more take and flexibility to address conflict as wolf numbers increase;
· under an agreement with FWP and the Montana Department of Livestock, USDA Wildlife Services--the federal agency authorized to prevent and respond to damage caused by wildlife--would address wolf-livestock conflicts and control wolves involved in depredation incidents;
· livestock losses would be compensated at fair market value;
· landowners would be able to shoot wolves seen harassing livestock or other domestic animals, just as they can other large predators under state management;
· hunting of wolves would be permitted when the population reaches a level where a regulated harvest can be biologically sustained.
FWP will host a series of statewide public scoping meetings in March to begin a nine-month process to draft an environmental impact statement for a final Montana wolf management plan. Erickson is encouraging those interested in wolves, and their conservation and management in Montana, to use the planning document to help identify issues, management alternatives and facets of wolf management the council may have overlooked or that need to be addressed differently or in more detail.
“In March, we’ll ask the public to help us identify an array of issues and alternatives related to managing wolves in Montana upon federal recovery and delisting,” Erickson said. “The planning document is the best source of information available on the issue.”
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 570 wolves in 35 or more breeding wolf packs exist in the Montana, Idaho and Wyoming recovery areas, with 18 wolf packs and about 100 wolves in Montana. Federal wolf managers conclude that a total of 30 breeding pair, equitably distributed in the tri-state recovery area for three years, will trigger the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s official proposal to delist the wolf, 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 adequate regulations in place to maintain the recovered wolf population within the northern Rocky Mountain Recovery Area. The final Montana wolf management plan will be used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to demonstrate that Montana has established adequate regulations to prevent wolves from become threatened or endangered again. After extensive public review of a Montana wolf management Environmental Impact Statement, which will be developed over the coming spring and summer, a final wolf management plan could be completed by November 2002. Montana’s plan, along with plans from Idaho and Wyoming, will be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The draft “Planning Document for Wolf Conservation and Management in Montana” and the Wolf Advisory Council’s “Report to the Governor” are available via FWP’s website at: www.fwp.state.mt.us/wildthings/wolf/wolfmanagement.asp. To request copies call 406-444-2612.
Public scoping comments on wolf management issues and alternatives will begin to be solicited in March, Erickson said.
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