Newhouse also wrote letters in opposition during past planning processes, claiming there was not adequate public input. It's no Bellingham, WA lawmakers deadlocked as drugs ravage Snohomish County, rest of state, Woman shot in West Seattle, hours after 2 killed on Capitol Hill, Oregon tells a cautionary tale about drugs, but we're not listening, squelched by Interior, under the Trump administration, in 2020, North Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Environmental Impact Statement, nonessential experimental population designation. But the topic - wildlife, and specifically bears - wasn't unusual for him. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) The federal government is scrapping plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem. 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. According to the NPS, the new process will restart from the beginning rather than picking up where the last one left off. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. khouse@oregonian.com 503-221-8178 @Kelly_M_House. Test yourself with these grizzly bear myths: The U.S. Now that the comments period has been extended to April 28, he's have time for more pro-bear comics. The U.S. In 2019, Zinke reversed course and reopened a new public comment period. Grizzly bears play an important ecological and cultural role in the North Cascades. The agencies would aim to establish an initial population of 25 bears. 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. When motorized vehicles are deemed essential to recovery, limit their use as much as feasible to wildlands outside of designated Wilderness. Tipsy Tuesday: Cold Bow Challenge, Gear Reviews, And The Latest Hunting News! Grizzlies could roam wildest reaches of Washington state again, but 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. The National Park Service has scheduled several virtual meetings to discuss the proposal. "It's like when you see a tiger at the zoo. Dave Parsons, TRI Carnivore Conservation Biologist 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. Grizzly bear reintroduction considered in North Cascades National Park We favor minimizing disturbance to and intervention in the Wilderness and conserving and restoring its whole native biota. 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. A place where we can raise grizzlies to maturity while teaching them enjoy eating things like soy, tofu, and smoothies. Group seeks to reintroduce grizzlies to Selway-Bitterroots Cascadia | Defenders of Wildlife 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. Why not SF too? 1,798. Staff Reporter. The Key Arguments for Both Sides of the Wolf Reintroduction Debate in A copy of the notice of terminationcan be foundhereand will be published in theFederal Register. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Grizzly bear reintroduction efforts get pushback from Chelan County The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. The National Wildlife Federation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization You have permission to edit this article. This is a first step toward bringing balance back to the ecosystem and restoring a piece of the Pacific Northwests natural and cultural heritage, said Superintendent Don Striker of North Cascades National Park. The agencies proposal surprised the group suing over the 2020 halt. More information on public involvement and the planning process is available online. With the publics help, we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. Research is underway to see what grizzly bears might eat if they were reintroduced to California. 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. One of his first-ever comics was titled "Things Bears Love." Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). ", 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.". Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). The public will have four opportunities to participate and comment on the process at virtual public meetings on Nov. 14, Nov. 18, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2. (NWF responded by arranging for him to meet and spoon-feed peanut butter to two grizzly bears at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, where he lives, and presenting him with a plaque honoring him as "Champion of Bears."). With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. Dear USFWS Director Sheehan and NPS Deputy Director Smith. The plan to reintroduce bears to North Cascades National Park could eventually see the grizzly population grow to about 200. Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they have restarted the. Terry Tollefsbol/USFWS The National. 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. "Black bears are more abundant than cougars . 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. Wilderness and Grizzly Bears for the North Cascades 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. The department hired an environmental cleanup company to use vacuum trucks on remaining oil. Hunters and government agents killed thousands of bears, once found throughout the region, for fur and to remove them from the region entirely, the Center for Biological Diversity said in court filings. Grizzly bears are omnivores; they eat a variety of plants and berries, insects, fish, small mammals, and carrion. What Should the Future of the Pacific Northwest Trail Look Like? 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. To date, nearly 1.500 grizzly bears inhabit those areas which are closely monitored by the U. S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. Reintroduce Grizzlies into CA | Rokslide Forum 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. Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they would look at options to bring back the big brown bears. He can be reached at Evan.Bush@nbcuni.com. I am writing to share my strong support for grizzly bear restoration in the North Cascades. Ransom said restoring grizzlieswould enhance biodiversity and could make the ecosystem more resilient to future changes. 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 National Park Superintendent Don Striker said in a news release. Send a message to the National Park Service in support of grizzly restoration in the North Cascades. Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they have restarted the on-again, off-again process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. A grizzly forages in Wyoming Photo: Bryant Aardema -bryants wildlife images / Moment via Getty. Biologists last estimated that fewer than 10 grizzly bears remain in the North Cascades, the most at-risk bear population in North America. Initially, he said, "I was like, 'Oh god, am I going to reintroduce grizzlies and then die at the hands of a bear?'". Under the proposal, the National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife would capture bears from either British Columbia or the Northern Continental Divide of the U.S. About three to seven would be released in the North Cascades each year, over the course of about five to 10 years. Grizzly Bears Might Return to California. Is the State Ready? goal of removing them from the endangered species list, halted the previous reintroduction effort, most productive grizzly bear habitat in the world. The National Park Service and U.S. The post was uncommonly unfunny, Inman acknowledged on Tuesday, saying that he'd done it in a rush to beat the comments deadline. Jagged peaks of the North Cascades rise into the clouds. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But with science, education and a little human tolerance it can be one of the greatest conservation success stories of ours and future generations.. 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. Conservation group proposes bringing grizzly bears back into Arizona Threatened grizzly bears could roam again in the wildest reaches of Washington state. It will include considering a nonessential experimental population designation under the Endangered Species Act. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. In particular, we must uphold the spirit and letter of the U.S. Wilderness Act, the strongest land protection legislation ever enacted. 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. The public overwhelmingly supports reintroduction of this native species, as the bears are an integral part of healthy forest and mountain habitats in the Cascades. The North Cascades is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Lower 48. Also, he said, The Oatmeal will feature fewer bear-mauling jokes. The grizzly has profound cultural significance and its restoration will enrich our ancestral lands and help restore the foundations of our cultural practices.. The federal government is seeking public input on its plan to reintroduce the bears into the state, where they once numbered in the thousands. Grizzly bears slowly expand their territory in the northern U.S. Rocky 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. Entertainment We thank Secretary Haaland for leading this effort and look forward to welcoming grizzlies back home, Scott Schuyler, Policy Representative for the Upper Skagit Tribe said in a statement. The White House pollinator health task force co-chaired by the EPA is scheduled to issue its findings before the spring planting season begins. Species reintroduction - Wikipedia The grizzly is also an important part of regional Native American and First Nations' cultures, dating back hundreds of years. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. That could change if a federal program to reintroduce the bears to the Northern Cascades Ecosystem is approved by the Department of the Interior. The previous federal efforts to restore bears in the North Cascades drew about 143,000 public comments combined, Ransom said. Oregon as Grizzly Country Fish and Wildlife Service prepared a plan in 2000 that called for rebuilding the Selway-Bitterroot's grizzly . An estimated 60,000 grizzly bears inhabit North America, half of them in Alaska. Reintroduction | Wildlife Preservation Canada The Conversaton feedback: Grizzly bears | The Sacramento Bee The North Cascades are among the largest wild areas in the contiguous 48 states, encompassing close to 10,000 square miles. U.S. Department of Interior news release: OMAK, WASHINGTONU.S. Secretary of the Interior David L.Bernhardtannounced today at a roundtable withcommunity members inOmak,Washingtonthat the Departmentof the Interior (Department)willnot move forwardwith anewGrizzly Bear Restoration Plan for the North CascadesEcosystemand the associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Heading out the door? On Monday, the agencies extended the comments period by an additional 45 days, citing requests from members of the public and local officials. Supposedly the size of the coastal ones rivaled coastal griz in AK. The National Park Service and the U.S. They'll be into every apartment and home, and some people will certainly be sacrificed. 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). With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. The plan has been hailed by Tribal leaders, conservation groups and other wildlife advocates. Should Grizzlies Be Restored to the North Cascades? - National Geographic In a letter to the president and the Environmental Protection Agency,they called for increased restrictions on neonicotinoids, a type of pesticide that has been cited as a potential cause to colony collapse disorder. And they eat a lot of plants, including berries when they're in season. Seattle Times staff reporter Isabella Breda covers the environment. Or maybe I should write a screenplay Reintroduce bears to eat liberals? The bears would be captured and transported from interior British Columbia or Northwest Montana, according to a notice about the proposal. Once we have an "army" of these bears built up, we air drop them into heavily populated areas of CA and let them work their magic. 2022. 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. The reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park has an unexpected upside: It's helping to fatten up the bears, new research suggests. It may not display this or other websites correctly. reintroducing grizzly bears to the North Cascades. Kate McFarland, TRI Deputy Director 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.. 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. 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. Feds scrap plans to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone will encompass the North Cascades National Park, plus several neighboring designated Wilderness Areas. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, A grizzly bear and her cubs in Yellowstone National Park. Within a century, the agencies would aim to have a population of about 200 bears. 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. 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). Feds nix plans to reintroduce grizzlies to Washington's - oregonlive 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. And an estimated 50,000 in the contiguous United States around the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. Photo: Bryant Aardema -bryants wildlife images / Moment via Getty, The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Keep stress and discomfort of individual bears to the absolute minimum necessary to achieve gains for the natural community. What accounted for the big jump in comments? Virtual public meetings are scheduled for Nov. 15, 18, Dec. 1, 2. It is the U.S. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Urge Congress to Support It. More than 125 organizations have called upon national leaders to restrict certain pesticides in an effort to save pollinators. Feds plan to reintroduce grizzly bears in Washington: Oregon Rewilding the Sky Islands Region of the . Predators roam central Oregon, but chances of attack are slim KTAR.com. We also recognize that, in some places, natural recolonizationthe idealis unlikely, and active reintroduction is needed to restore full biotic communities. Federal Government Gives Up Grizzly Reintroduction In North Cascades - opb Washingtons portion of the North Cascades Ecosystem (shared with British Columbia) is among the most ecologically intact regions in the continental United States, still providing safe homes for nearly all of the post-Pleistocene species native to this sublime landscape. Evan Bush is a science reporter for NBC News. The extreme area of northeast Oregon has been studied as another potential site for reintroduction, but as of this date no plans have been made to make that a reality. 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. March 3, 2021 We know how to move bears successfully, and we know how to live with them safely, Servheen said in a statement. The Wilderness Act dictates that areas designated as Wilderness by the U.S. Congress shall be kept untrammeled and free of mechanical conveyance. Mexican Grey Wolves have been reintroduced into areas on the border of Arizona and New Mexico in the Mongollon mountains and have had . All rights reserved (About Us). Credit: NPS, EPA Proposes First Ever Federal PFAS Protections for Drinking Water, Young Leaders Converge and Skill-Up to Shift the Power at the 2023 Power Shift Convergence, Breaking the System: How to Create an Equitable Clean Energy Future, Earth Day on the Caja: Caring for Our Common Home, Invest Your Time, Invest in Our Planet: Earth Day 2023 Volunteer Events, Bridging the Power of Youth and the Wisdom of Age: Technology as a Space to Resist and Uplift, Stories from the Eco-Green Schoolyard A Medium for Healing, Student Learning and Managing Climate Change, Seis Razones para Aprobar el Proyecto de Ley Recovering Americas Wildlife Act, Guilt-free indulgence: A guide to buying sustainable and ethically sourced chocolate, Plant 50% to 70% Native Benefit More Wildlife, Water Is Lifeand Central To Environmental Justice for Indigenous Communities, Cinco Recomendaciones para Apoyar la Proteccin de la Mariposa Monarca, Three Ways Heat Waves are Impacting Americans More Than any Other Disaster, Prescribed Fire Field Day Highlights Healthy Forest Management & Celebrates Black History Month, The Roots of National Wildlife Federations Agriculture Work. Bringing Back the Grizzly Bear to the North Cascades 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 U.S. Were pleasantly surprised theyre reconsidering augmenting the population. You are using an out of date browser. The narrative about Cascades grizzly bear recovery will take decades to unfold. The issue of reintroducing grizzly bears to Minnesota's ecosystem is one that is sure to elicit strong opinions from different stakeholders. 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. 6 The caves also show a number of scratch marks thought to have been made by the claws of bears. The National Park Service and U.S. Now, theNorth Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Environmental Impact Statement process is back on. 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. In a news release on Thursday, he criticized the decision to restart it and urged the Biden administration to consider local input. According to the latest estimates by biologists, its likely that fewer than 10 grizzly bears remain in the North Cascades. We support the recovery of large carnivores and other strongly interactive species, including Grizzly Bears, wherever possible in their native ranges. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. The federal agencies will evaluate several options to restore bear populations as part of an environmental impact statement process. The agency outlined a preliminary plan to create an experimental population by adding three to seven captured grizzly bears to the North Cascades for five to 10 years, with a goal of building an initial population up to about 25 bears. (Credit: Nature Picture Library/Alamy . According to a USFWS fact sheet, that designation would list the new population of grizzly bears as threatened and would give land managers wider latitude by relaxing certain rules designed to protect them. Central Washingtons Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse was quick to criticize the plan. 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.
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