The National Park Service and U.S. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, A grizzly bear and her cubs in Yellowstone National Park. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. The plan has been hailed by Tribal leaders, conservation groups and other wildlife advocates. Contests & Promotions, Crook County, Bend fire crews rescue kayaker stranded in high-running Crooked River in Prineville, Oregon Republicans try to stall bill on abortion, trans care, St. Charles shifts community funding priority, focusing on efforts to reduce loneliness, foster belonging. The department hired an environmental cleanup company. 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. The Department of the Interior began planning the environmental review process in 2015 under the Obama administration. They're like a cute, 800-pound, apex predator dog. What accounted for the big jump in comments? 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. If we could concentrate the bears in LA and SF I think this would be great for conservation of the grizz! Can we do this in every state? We had no idea this announcement today was going to be made, said Andrea Zaccardi, the carnivore conservation legal director for the Center for Biological Diversity. For decades, bear advocates have argued that the only way to revive grizzlies in the North Cascades is by shipping in bears from elsewhere. Specifically, I support Alternative C: Incremental Restoration. 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. A final decision could take years. This Bill Saves Wildlife in Crisis. Evan Bush is a science reporter for NBC News. Daily News Updates I would personally put money, time, and physical effort to help make this happen. In this June 2, 2016, file photo, a grizzly bear at the Woodland Park Zoo waits for a salmon to be tossed to him in Seattle. To fully restore the ecological integrity of the North Cascades, we need to give Grizzly Bears a helping hand and actively bring them back. The reality is we have fewer and fewer deer every year. Grizzly bear just north of the National Elk Refuge in Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. The Biden administration will restart planning to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades Range, a project the Trump administration halted in 2020. 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 hope it doesnt come back to haunt TRI. KTAR.com. In this Sept. 25, 2013, photo, a pair of grizzly bear cubs forage for food a few miles from the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Mont. To date, nearly 1.500 grizzly bears inhabit those areas which are closely monitored by the U. S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency's criteria for GYE grizzly bears calls for a minimum of 500 individuals and at least 48 females with cubs. Step 2) Copy and paste this suggested message (or write your own). Carefully document the entire Grizzly Bear reintroduction process so that lessons can be shared with other areas in need of Grizzly Bear reintroduction (including Oregon, California, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico). I might need to change my vote, depending on the method of "reintroduction." 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.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The way they move, and the way they sun themselves and lay there, they move like a house cat. Dear USFWS Director Sheehan and NPS Deputy Director Smith. But the topic - wildlife, and specifically bears - wasn't unusual for him. Scientists hope the data will help them predict future outbreaks. They asked for public comments on the proposals, which range from doing nothing to building a new population of 200 bears within 25 years. Scientists identified the mountain range as prime habitat for grizzly bear reintroduction in 1997, like it had been for thousands of years. The USFWS and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have been working on a multi-year planning process to bring grizzlies back to Washingtons North Cascades Ecosystem. The Rewilding Institute supports the active reintroduction of Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE). Although Sea Otters are doing well, the species is not yet considered . Their presence is also an important indicator of a healthy ecosystem, as the clean water and level of biodiversity necessary to support their needs also supports a variety of other wildlife. The federal government on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, decided to scrap plans . And at the same time I have a card game telling people that bears eat babies," Inman said. The agencies would aim to establish an initial population of 25 bears. Since then, the species has repopulated 25 to 33 per cent of its historic range in Canada. The National Park Service is evaluating once again how grizzly bears could be reintroduced to North Cascades National Park. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt told a meeting. He said reintroducing the bears would be a threat to families, wildlife and livestock. Defenders is contributing to the effort to reintroduce fishers and grizzly bears to the North Cascades. The restoration is needed to help restore the biodiversity of the region and help ensure the survival of the species and, eventually, remove it from the endangered list, according to a joint statement by both sponsoring agencies. The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity filed a . This is a first step toward bringing balance back to the ecosystem and restoring a piece of the Pacific Northwests natural and cultural heritage, Superintendent Don Striker of North Cascades National Park said in a news release. Threatened grizzly bears could roam again in the wildest reaches of Washington state. ", Inman said that he wishes he had done his call-out for comments by "starting from the basics" on grizzly bear behavior and diet, then building to the notion that they're "bunnies who happen to weigh 800 pounds.". With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. Reading essays like this warms my heart and makes me dream of better days in the future! Black bears Territory, population: About 25,000 to 30,000 native black bears live in Oregon. My constituents and I have consistently opposed proposals to do so under multiple administrations because introducing an apex predator to the area would threaten the families, wildlife, and livestock of North Central Washington, Newhouse said in a statement Thursday. If they happen to take out most people in those areas, so be it. I am writing to share my strong support for grizzly bear restoration in the North Cascades. This could be fun. This is a first step toward bringing balance back to the ecosystem and restoring a piece of the Pacific Northwests natural and cultural heritage, North Cascades Superintendent Don Striker said in a news release. The bears were a critical part of the ecosystem, turning soil as they dug for roots, eating berries and distributing the seeds in their scat, and keeping small animal populations in check. If the program is approved, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife expects that it will both support the federal effort at monitoring the population and outreach to local residents. Federal plan would reintroduce grizzly bears to Washingtons Cascade mountains, By Lawrence Wilson | The Center Square contributor, What it Costs to Retire Comfortably in Washington, How Gas Taxes in Washington Compare to Other States, How Much Washington Taxes Its Residents Compared to Other States, How Much Home You Can Buy for $200k in Washington, Treasury gives Congress dire June 1 deadline on debt ceiling, Three years after pandemic began, Biden will lift federal vaccination mandates, Biden touts record, small businesses fire back. 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.. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA), whose district includes part of the North Cascades ecosystem, welcomed the Trump administrations termination of the reintroduction process in 2015. Within a century, the agencies would aim to have a population of about 200 bears. North Cascades National Park has renewed efforts to evaluate how grizzly bears could be reintroduced to the park, restarting the effort that began in 2014 under the Obama administration. Published: September 27, 2019 The federal agencies will evaluate several options to restore bear populations as part of an environmental impact statement process. "Black bears are more abundant than cougars," Akenson said. 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. 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. "Black bears are more abundant than cougars . The deadline to comment is October 24th, 2019. The White House pollinator health task force co-chaired by the EPA is scheduled to issue its findings before the spring planting season begins. The wolves have kept the park's population of elks . In a news release on Thursday, he criticized the decision to restart it and urged the Biden administration to consider local input. IE 11 is not supported. It wasnt a lack of habitat. We are advancing Smart from the Start principles to minimize the impacts of renewable energy development on sensitive species like birds and bats. Or maybe I should write a screenplay Reintroduce bears to eat liberals? Feasibility of Timber Wolf Reintroduction in Adirondack Park / Paul C. Paquet, James R. Strittholt and Nancy L. Staus / [et al.]. I think they're funny," Inman said of bears. The bears would be captured and transported from interior British Columbia or Northwest Montana, according to a notice about the proposal. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! 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The project aims to produce a population of about 200 grizzly bears within 100 years. / Carlos Carroll, Reed F. Noss and Nathan H. Schumaker / [et al.]. 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. 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. 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. The post was uncommonly unfunny, Inman acknowledged on Tuesday, saying that he'd done it in a rush to beat the comments deadline. If it only leads to people in those places begging for the bears to be killed, perhaps the runoff from that will lead to hunting opportunities in places that already have grizzlies. With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward, North Cascades National Park Superintendent Don Striker said in a statement. In 2014, under the Obama administration, federal officials announced a grizzly recovery study. The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service will investigate reintroducing grizzly bears to Washingtons North Cascades, restarting a process the Trump administration halted seven years ago, the federal government said on Thursday. The last verifiable sighting of a grizzly on the U.S. side of the North Cascades was in 1996, though people occasionally still spot them in British Columbias Cascade Mountains. Federal agencies are yet again considering plans to bring grizzly bears home to the deep forested valleys of the North Cascades where they once thrived. Grizzlies have been a popular and divisive topic. A copy of the notice of terminationcan be foundhereand will be published in theFederal Register. Bears are the same. This alternative is expected to produce the goal population of 200 bears in 60-100 years. During previous planning efforts, the National Cattlemens Beef Association and other ranching groups have opposed reintroduction. Into Los Angeles, yes, I would support that. But the idea languished without money for a multiyear . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In Oregon, state leaders last week banned the use of four types of neonicotinoids on linden trees and related species. March 3, 2021 Is the Return of the Wolf, Wolverine, and Grizzly Bear to Oregon and California Biologically Feasible? KTVZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications |, Breaking News Daily Weather Forecast Supposedly the size of the coastal ones rivaled coastal griz in AK. In an emailed press release, Joe Scott, international program director for Conservation Northwest, said that the announcement ushers in an exciting chapter for grizzly bear restoration in the North Cascades., After 30 years of analyses, process and discussions we have a clear way forward, he said. Species that may be eligible for reintroduction are . A grizzly bear and cub in Yellowstone National Park. We know how to move bears successfully, and we know how to live with them safely, Servheen said in a statement. On Monday, the agencies extended the comments period by an additional 45 days, citing requests from members of the public and local officials. By OLIVIA HOBSON. The North Cascades is one of six areas where the federal government is looking to restore the grizzlies. Grizzly bears roamed across the North Cascades for thousands of years before humans hunted them to near-extinction. The National Park Service and U.S. 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. A file photo of a two-month-old Grizzly bear named Hutch at the Ultimate Sport Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Chris Clark). But social pressure is how legislation gets made," Inman wrote, adding that he donated $25,000 to the cause - money that, he said in an interview, would help fund the pro-reintroduction campaigns of the National Wildlife Federation and Conservation Northwest. "With grizzlies in particular, people see them like a Tyrannosaurus rex, when in reality they're more like scaredy-cats," he said. North Cascades National Park has renewed efforts to evaluate how grizzly bears could be reintroduced to the park, restarting the effort that began in 2014 under the Obama administration. The Rewilding Institute supports the active reintroduction of Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE). With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. reintroducing grizzly bears to the North Cascades. "I know it seems odd. The Trump Administration is committed to being a good neighbor, and the people who live and work in north central Washington have made their voices clear that they do not want grizzly bears reintroduced into the North Cascades. A place where we can raise grizzlies to maturity while teaching them enjoy eating things like soy, tofu, and smoothies. With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. Environmentalists, for example, may view the return of grizzly bears as a crucial step in restoring the balance of the state's natural environment, while farmers and other rural residents may view the animals as a potential threat to their livelihoods . In the face of Euro-American settlement, Oregon grizzlies seemed to retreat fairly steadily in the mid- to late-1800s to three redoubts: the Klamath Mountains (including the Siskiyous), the Southern Cascades, and the Blue/Wallowa Mountains (including Hells Canyon country). Grizzlies roamed the North Cascades for thousands of years until the 1800s, when trapping and hunting reduced their numbers below viable levels; according to the NPS, most of the bear population was destroyed by the 1860s. For example: They rarely harm or kill humans, even in places like Yellowstone National Park, where there are hundreds. But with science, education and a little human tolerance it can be one of the greatest conservation success stories of ours and future generations.. The goal of species reintroduction is to establish a healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustaining population to an area where it has been extirpated, or to augment an existing population. And an estimated 50,000 in the contiguous United States around the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. As with anything involving predators in the West, this is a controversial topic. The two agencies began researching the possibility of reintroducing grizzlies in 2015; in 2020, however, the Trump Interior Department terminated the process without offering a public explanation, sparking a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity. The National Wildlife Federation and our partners support the Incremental Restoration (Alternative C) option, which balances grizzly bear biology, important ecological factors in the proposed recovery zone, and the need for social acceptance of grizzly bears in recovery efforts. Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse released a statement in response to the environmental impact statement, inviting the public to get involved with the process and submit comments. The Wenatchee World. The introduction of grizzly bears into the North Cascades would directly, and negatively, impact the people and the communities I represent, Newhouse said. The post broke down the very basics of grizzly reintroduction to the northern Cascades ecosystem, and it urged readers to support "Alternative C," which calls for releasing five to seven bears each year for five to 10 years, with the goal of establishing a base population of 25 grizzlies and building to 200 bears within a century. Fish and Wildlife Service released a document in January describing four ideas for reintroducing grizzly bears to the North Cascades region in Washington. Is JP Morgan's purchase of failed bank from FDIC a government bailout? The agencies proposal surprised the group suing over the 2020 halt. Wildlife officials and advocates should undertake active Grizzly Bear reintroduction with utmost compassion for the individual animals involved, and great respect for the laws of the land in the United Statesand also in Canada, if bears are to be sourced there. Grizzlies roamed the North Cascades for thousands of years until the 1800s, when trapping and hunting reduced their numbers below viable levels; according to the NPS, most of the bear population was destroyed by the 1860s. In October of last year, Secretary Bernhardt visited Montana with U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte, speaking to additional actions that have now since been taken by the Department to strengthen state management of grizzly bears, help limit human conflict and effectively manage healthy populations of the species. Minimize the use of motorized vehicles in wild areas; machines should be used only as much as is necessary to achieve recovery goals. Send a message to the National Park Service in support of grizzly restoration in the North Cascades. But he said he's since learned more about grizzlies, which haven't been spotted in the U.S. portion of the North Cascades ecosystem since 1996. We urge conservationists to work together toward a Grizzly Bear recovery plan in the North Cascades that respects the welfare of individual bears, ecosystem health, and Wilderness values. Researchers say grizzly bears could be reintroduced to the West Coast if the region can bear it. Sulphur Creek is used as an irrigation return by the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District. Grizzly bears were added to the list of threatened species in the lower 48 states in 1975 and have been listed as an endangered species in Washington since 1980. Fish. In 2017, agencies received more than 126,000 public comments. Grizzly bears play an important ecological and cultural role in the North Cascades. The National Park Service and U.S. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Please someone get this going. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The North Cascades are among the largest wild areas in the contiguous 48 states, encompassing close to 10,000 square miles. As they eat and travel throughout their range, they spread seeds and nutrients, and as they dig for bulbs and other food in the ground, they help to aerate the soil. We offer our board, staff, and leadership council in the effort to make the North Cascades Ecosystem as big, wild, whole, and connected as possible. Grizzly bears are a key native species for the park and its ecological processes. You are using an out of date browser. 2. The Forest Service Wants to Hear From You. Kate McFarland, TRI Deputy Director The National Wildlife Federation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization All rights reserved (About Us). Bear numbers in Washington dwindled due to hunting in the late 1800s, landing the grizzly on the endangered species list 40 years ago. Fish and Wildlife Service released a document in January describing four ideas for reintroducing grizzly bears to the North Cascadesregion in Washington state. We have much more to do and your continued support is needed now more than ever. 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.. In addition to their importance in regulating prey populations and dispersing seeds from fleshy fruit, they hold great significance in the cultural traditions of Native American communities in the North Cascades and First Nations communities in British Columbia. And they eat a lot of plants, including berries when they're in season. But habitat connections to the closest healthy Grizzly Bear populations, further north in British Columbia, have been broken by human development, precluding Grizzlies from being able to repopulate the NCE. Heres the best way to make your message heard: Step 1) Open the National Park Service webpage:CLICK HERE. Staff Reporter. The species has been almost absent from the park since the late 1990s after humans hunted them to near extinction. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) The federal government is scrapping plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem. By March 10 - four days before the end of the comments period - the agencies had received an estimated 6,500 comments, a Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman in Washington said. Federal agencies are yet again considering plans to bring grizzly bears home to the deep forested valleys of the North Cascades where they once thrived. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. We have wolvs coming in that's going to make a dent. Fish and Wildlife Service prepared a plan in 2000 that called for rebuilding the Selway-Bitterroot's grizzly . By Tuesday, however, that number had jumped to about 110,000, she said. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) The federal government is scrapping plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem. Jagged peaks of the North Cascades rise into the clouds. Research is underway to see what grizzly bears might eat if they were reintroduced to California. In a petition to the U . All rights reserved (About Us). Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. (C) The Rewilding Institute | Site by Brick Road Media, Wilderness and Grizzly Bears for the North Cascades. From The Department of the Interior halted the previous reintroduction effortin 2020 under the Trump administration. In particular, we must uphold the spirit and letter of the U.S. Wilderness Act, the strongest land protection legislation ever enacted. KTVZ NewsChannel 21 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Heading out the door? The reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park has an unexpected upside: It's helping to fatten up the bears, new research suggests. This means by protecting them, we'll be able to protect a wide variety of species because of the fact that grizzly bears require such a large area to thrive. The Recovery zone will eventually cover 9,800 square miles and will be a lifeline to these bears as they gradually recover from severely depleted populations across the West. We favor minimizing disturbance to and intervention in the Wilderness and conserving and restoring its whole native biota. The first of six meetings on the bear reintroduction plan is Wednesday in Winthrop. It is the U.S. An estimated 60,000 grizzly bears inhabit North America, half of them in Alaska. See our instructions at the bottom of this page on how to make your voice heard. Nobody has seen a grizzly bear in Washington since 1996, but that could change soon. ", 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." Wolves and Wolverines, amazingly, have recolonized the North Cascades after being extirpated by people, and Fishers were recently reintroduced to the NCE. WDFW has been an active participant in the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, working alongside other western states for the conservation and management of the species.. Fish & Wildlife Service, not the U.S. Forest Service. We must all work together to make this . Now that the comments period has been extended to April 28, he's have time for more pro-bear comics. Photo: Bryant Aardema -bryants wildlife images / Moment via Getty, The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service. What we need is a grizzly nursery. 2022. The narrative about Cascades grizzly bear recovery will take decades to unfold. Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they have restarted the on-again, off-again process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. 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. Were pleasantly surprised theyre reconsidering augmenting the population. Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they would look at options to bring back the big brown bears. An environmental impact statement will explore how the bears could be reintroduced with the eventual goal of removing them from the endangered species list, according to the National Park. They'll be into every apartment and home, and some people will certainly be sacrificed. Your instinct is you want to pet them and play with them, but you can't. Grizzly bears are not in danger of extinction, and Interior will continue to build on its conservation successes managing healthy grizzly bear populations across their existing range., This announcement is welcomed by my constituents in Central Washington who have consistently shared my same concerns about introducing an apex predator into the North Cascades,said U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04).
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