The introduction of grizzly bears into the North Cascades would directly, and negatively, impact the people and the communities I represent, Newhouse said in the statement. Earlier this year, Alagona dispatched post-doctoral researcher Alex McInturff to Bishop, in the Eastern Sierras, to gauge local attitudes around grizzly reintroduction an initiative unavoidably restructured when COVID-19 scuppered plans for focus groups and on-site interviews. He said reintroducing the bears would be a threat to families, wildlife and livestock. They belong here, Joe Scott, international program director for Conservation Northwest, said in a statement. Additionally, many grizzly bear advocates viewed a population in the Bitterroots as the best way to connect the genetically isolated populations in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Bringing Back the Grizzly Bear to the North Cascades Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse, who represents rural central and eastern Washington communities, has opposed restoring grizzly populations in the past and indicated he would do so again. We know how to move bears successfully, and we know how to live with them safely, Servheen said in a statement. ET): A previous version of this article misstatedone of the services helping to reintroduce grizzly bears. The issue of reintroducing grizzly bears to Minnesota's ecosystem is one that is sure to elicit strong opinions from different stakeholders. "Comedically, I use them a lot. Oregon as Grizzly Country I have long advocated that local voices must beheard by the federal government on this issue, and I am enormously grateful to Secretary Bernhardt for not only listening to our concerns and opinions, but for delivering this news in person, right here in North Central Washington.. For example: They rarely harm or kill humans, even in places like Yellowstone National Park, where there are hundreds. Can Washington State Save the Fewer Than 10 Grizzly Bears It Has Left The argument about there not being enough of them to hunt would certainly change to some other argument as why they should never be hunted. But the idea languished without money for a multiyear . The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service will investigate reintroducing grizzly bears to Washington's North Cascades, restarting a process the Trump administration halted seven years ago, the federal government said on Thursday.. Reintroduction was the only practical way to satisfy the legal mandate to recover grizzlies in the region. Separate from the issue of reintroducing grizzly bears into the North Cascades, the recovery of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states is an amazing success story due to collaborative conservation efforts led by federal, Tribal, state and other partners. During previous planning efforts, the National Cattlemens Beef Association and other ranching groups have opposed reintroduction. An apex predator, grizzly bears keep prey populations under control, but they also work to disturb and aerate the soil while they dig for roots and spread seeds through their scat. The Department began planning the environmental review process for an updated Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan for the North Cascades Ecosystem in February 2015 under the Obama Administration without comprehensive public involvement and engagement. We favor minimizing disturbance to and intervention in the Wilderness and conserving and restoring its whole native biota. "Black bears are more abundant than cougars," Akenson said. Within a century, the agencies would aim to have a population of about 200 bears. The National Park Service has scheduled several virtual meetings to discuss the proposal. Download the app. Were pleasantly surprised theyre reconsidering augmenting the population. And an estimated 50,000 in the contiguous United States around the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. Soon, grizzly bears, mountain lions, and other wildlife were seen perusing the valleys, and stream health markedly improved." Eliminating the "Missing Link" Another point that frequently gets brought up in favor of wolf reintroduction is the idea that reintroducing wolves will eliminate a "missing link" in the range of the gray wolf species. Current Status Published: September 27, 2019 It is vital that we demonstrate our support for the recovery of this ecologically and culturally significant species. Many of the scientists named in the letter also have been involved in efforts to retain federal protections for threatened grizzly bears in Western states and gray wolves across most of the nation. One of the number one pros of reintroducing the grizzly bear is that they are what is known as an "umbrella species". The National Wildlife Federation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization The species has been almost absent from the park since the late 1990s after humans hunted them to near extinction. Ransom said that a few bears might be wandering the woods but that there arent enough to be considered a viable population and that theres little chance bears from other regions could travel far enough to jump-start populations. Sulphur Creek is used as an irrigation return by the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District. "Black bears are more abundant than cougars . Supposedly the size of the coastal ones rivaled coastal griz in AK. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt told a meeting of community members in Omak, Washington, on Tuesday that his agency will not conduct the environmental impact statement needed to move forward. The Associated Press reports responders have deployed absorbent pads and protective booms. ", Inman is the man behind the super-popular comic website The Oatmeal, which features graphic, whimsical and surprisingly edifying posts on topics ranging from the coolness of mantis shrimps to correct usage of the word "literally." The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. To date, nearly 1.500 grizzly bears inhabit those areas which are closely monitored by the U. S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. Federal agencies started a public planning process to reintroduce the bears in 2015, but it was suspended in 2017 by Ryan Zinke, then the secretary of the interior during the Trump administration. The Wenatchee World. Wolves in Yellowstone Help Grizzly Bears Fatten Up The view of The Rewilding Institute is that the Wilderness Act should not be so dogmatically interpreted as to proscribe vital restoration measures, but should be holistically interpreted to weigh heavily in favor of minimalist tools and intervention. PHOENIX - An Arizona conservation group wants the federal government to consider reintroducing grizzly bears into the state. If we bring grizzlies they aren't going to put them in the coast range. The North Cascades is one of six areas where the federal government is looking to restore the grizzlies. In particular, we must uphold the spirit and letter of the U.S. Wilderness Act, the strongest land protection legislation ever enacted. Subscribe | Support, The Wisdom of Bears and the Perfidy of Bureaucracy, Government Agents Kill Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf Father, Threatening Packs Survival, Expansion and Restoration of Bison to Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. My constituents and I have consistently opposed proposals to [reintroduce grizzly bears] under multiple administrations because introducing an apex predator to the area would threaten the families, wildlife, and livestock of North Central Washington, state Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-4th Dist., said in a news release. Swarovski ATC Compact Spotting Scope Review, Helping Mule Deer Thrive: Muley Fanatic Foundation, Growing Big Mule Deer with Wildlife Prof Randy Larsen. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Entertainment Last year, he helped create a card game called "Bears vs. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) The federal government is scrapping plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem. Feds again consider reintroducing grizzlies to North Cascades Severe Weather And at the same time I have a card game telling people that bears eat babies," Inman said. But the topic - wildlife, and specifically bears - wasn't unusual for him. And on Friday, Inman published a post titled "I need 50,000 comments on a government website.". Four virtual public meetings will be held to gather input on the proposal over the next month. The grizzly is also an important part of regional Native American and First Nations cultures, dating back hundreds of years. Alternative C would move up to five grizzly bears per year into the North Cascades for five to seven years, or until a reproducing population of 25 bears is established. People are also invited to submit comments online. Kate McFarland, TRI Deputy Director The department began planning the environmental review process in 2015 under the Obama administration. It wasnt a lack of habitat. According to the NPS, the new process will restart from the beginning rather than picking up where the last one left off. We are committed to grizzly bear recovery in Washington and plan to partner with the federal agencies and provide technical support to their initiative, WDFW Wildlife Program Director Eric Gardner said in a statement. As a result, laws prohibiting the hunting of otters were put in place in 1911. Grizzly bears slowly expand their territory in the northern U.S. Rocky The National Park Service and the U.S. An estimated 60,000 grizzly bears inhabit North America, half of them in Alaska. The federal government on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, decided to scrap plans . Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. Please add you voice and speak up for grizzly recovery efforts in the North Cascades. OtoPro SoundGear Phantom and Impulse Review, Vortex Razor HD 4000 GB Rangefinder Review, Toric UHD 2.5-15x44mm FFP Hunt Series Riflescope Review, Hunting Big Mule Deer after Mid-October with Cliff Gray. The deadline to comment is October 24th, 2019. It does make for a very long road again to start from scratch, pretty much.. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The view of The Rewilding Institute is that the Wilderness Act should not be so dogmatically interpreted as to proscribe vital restoration measures, but should be holistically interpreted to weigh heavily in favor of minimalist tools and intervention. If we could concentrate the bears in LA and SF I think this would be great for conservation of the grizz! Fish & Wildlife Service, not the U.S. Forest Service. The Center for Biological Diversity in 2020 sued over the Trump administrations halt to the federal grizzly restoration effort. The North Cascades are one of six USFWS-designated grizzly bear recovery zones in the U.S., spanning 9,000 square miles of mostly federal land. John Miles, environmental historian and former board member of North Cascades Institute, The Rewilding Institute (TRI) mission is to explore and share tactics and strategies to advance continental-scale conservation and restoration in North America and beyond. Disregard politics or people whats the worst state to live in? Now, theNorth Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Environmental Impact Statement process is back on. Also added a yes or no poll to see where people stand. The plan has been hailed by Tribal leaders, conservation groups and other wildlife advocates. The Bitterroot and North Cascades Ecosystems have no known bears occupying the habitat, though some bears do reside on the British Columbia side of the Cascades. We focus on the need for large carnivores and protected wildways for their movement; and we offer a bold, scientifically credible, practically achievable, and hopeful vision for the future of wild Nature and human civilization on planet Earth. If they happen to take out most people in those areas, so be it. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) has been the primary focus of grizzly recovery efforts to date. Evan Bush is a science reporter for NBC News. process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. We must all work together to make this . (C) The Rewilding Institute | Site by Brick Road Media, Wilderness and Grizzly Bears for the North Cascades. Fish and Wildlife Services have led these efforts for self-sustaining grizzly bear populations, primarily focused in six areas of Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) identified six recovery systems for grizzly bears across the contiguous 48 states, including the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem, the Selkirk Ecosystem, the North Cascades Ecosystem, and the Bitterroot Ecosystem. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The lawsuit continues. Your instinct is you want to pet them and play with them, but you can't. Grizzly populations grew over the past 10 years in two areas - the Yellowstone region, with more than 700 bears, and around Glacier National Park in Montana, which is home to more than 1,000. Urge Congress to Support It. More information on public involvement and the planning process is available online. Beginning in 2017, the Department held numerous public meetings, Tribal consultations and more than 70 stakeholder briefings, during which overwhelming opposition was received for the plan. I strongly encourage the people of Central Washington to attend the virtual meetings in order to voice their opinion and put this misguided proposal to rest, once and for all.. As with anything involving predators in the West, this is a controversial topic. Alternative C strikes a sound balance to meet the mutual goals of grizzly bear restoration and the needs of the people who depend on the natural areas in the recovery zone. Historical Timeline of Grizzly Bears - Save the Yellowstone Grizzly They will over populate and make California deer hunting worse than it is. A study published this week describes the work, which OPB's Cassandra Profita calls "an atlas of insect-caused tree mortality." Should Jaguar and Grizzly Bear be reintroduced into most of the Since then, the species has repopulated 25 to 33 per cent of its historic range in Canada. General Inquiries. Dave Parsons, TRI Carnivore Conservation Biologist Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. In a news release on Thursday, he criticized the decision to restart it and urged the Biden administration to consider local input. I gladly throw in $100. According to the latest estimates by biologists, its likely that fewer than 10 grizzly bears remain in the North Cascades. Create, restore, and protect habitat connections within and beyond the NCE including to the Selkirk, Cabinet/Yaak, Bitterroot, and Yellowstone Ecosystems so that the movement of bears and other wide-ranging species can naturally occur, and the reintroduced Grizzly Bear population is not geographically isolated. In the case of the North Cascades and its once and future Grizzly Bear population, this means the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and other partners in Grizzly recovery should take these important steps: The Rewilding Institute urges all conservation groups who are weighing in on Grizzly Bear recovery in the North Cascades to talk directly with each other and try to find common ground that restores Grizzlies while also upholding Wilderness values.